As a dedicated member of the community we serve, St. John's has a
long-standing tradition of partnering with the local business
community. In 1997, the University established an Office of
Community Business Development to help maximize the economic impact
of its purchases. The program encourages minority and womenowned,
small and local (New York City and Long Island) businesses to
compete for University contracts.
This commitment is rooted in the University’s Vincentian mission
of promoting respect, opportunity and service on campus and
throughout the larger community. It also complements the
University’s Diversity Initiative, which seeks to identify and
address personal, institutional and social injustice. By focusing
on these businesses, the University is providing opportunities to
those who are disadvantaged and have not participated fully in the
American economy. To date, the Office of Community Business
Development has registered approximately 300 companies. These
companies provide goods and services ranging from office furniture,
e-commerce and landscaping to bed linens, fire protection and
carpentry.
Although their potential has not yet been fully realized,
minority- and women-owned, small and local businesses represent one
of the most dynamic sectors of the economy. In the past decade
alone, these companies have increased their revenues by 343
percent, and they are responsible for the strongest job creation
among all United States businesses, according to the U.S. Small
Business Administration.