Jordan Botta, Executive Director, Three Rivers Business Alliance

Jordan Botta, executive director of the Three Rivers Business Alliance, sat down with Invest: to discuss the importance of supporting LGBTQ+-owned businesses, how the organization is addressing and navigating recent policy changes, and how the Small Business Pride program has had a positive impact on local businesses and the community. “My job is to ensure that our chamber reflects both grassroots entrepreneurs and high-growth potential businesses,” Botta said.

Reflecting on Three Rivers Business Alliance’s progress since last year, what major developments or milestones would you highlight?

The change in administration at the federal level has refocused a lot of the business community away from DEI, which is very disheartening. However, there are a lot of companies and corporations that have leaned into supporting DEI, especially LGBTQ+ folks here in the region. We are very focused on figuring out how to provide people with the resources that they need to be successful in what may be a challenging economic time. 

Three Rivers also has the privilege of hosting the 2026 NFL draft next spring in Pittsburgh. I am on the NFL host committee that welcomes officials and representatives into the city and I am hopeful that this will have a long-term economic impact on the region, as opposed to just being a flash in the pan. For Three Rivers, this opportunity has allowed us to certify a lot of local businesses with an LGBTE certification, which is preferred procurement through the NFL draft source program. This is the first time ever that the NFL draft program has accepted LGBTE certification. In the past, they have accepted a lot of diverse business certifications. A lot of our members will be able to partner directly with the NFL draft to do business with them on a personal level. 

What recent policy changes will benefit LGBTQ+ businesses, and how is Three Rivers Business Alliance working to address potential policy gaps? 

Policy barriers remain a critical challenge for LGBTQ+-owned businesses in Pennsylvania. A lot of policy right now is tentative. Our job as advocates for LGBTQ+ businesses in the region is to ensure that DEI efforts are not stripped from the federal government. Luckily, Pennsylvania has a tremendous governor who is working to enshrine a lot of these protections in legislation. A lot of businesses are catering their approach to reflect these changes, while at the same time still maintaining the structure of DEI. 

Over the past year, the Alliance has launched programs like Small Business Pride. What has been the impact of these initiatives on Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ business community?

Our Small Business Pride survey is the first report of its kind to investigate and report on LGBTQ+-owned and allied businesses in the region, specifically their challenges, revenues, and any ways that they have been able to succeed in the region. It is a comprehensive report and we were proud to partner with the Hillman Foundation to get that out there. 

LGBTQ+ businesses often lack the traditional intergenerational wealth that other businesses might have, as well as access to funding and specific and inclusive networks. We address that by connecting them directly to capital certifications and capacity-building resources. My job is to ensure that our chamber reflects both grassroots entrepreneurs and high-growth potential businesses that can diversify regional supply chains and provide opportunities for all. 

What’s your long-term vision for growing funding and certification, while supporting more entrepreneurs in need?

A few of my goals are to ensure that businesses have as much inclusion as possible in county RFPs and supplier lists, pushing for economic relief tools to reach entrepreneurs that are often left out of traditional banking systems and funding opportunities, and supporting infrastructure projects that open new market access to underserved communities. Diverse portfolios are often the ones that perform the best and I believe that this also holds true for economic policies. Diverse economic policies perform the best at a macroeconomic level. 

I am looking forward to working on a county level. We potentially have a new mayor coming in. Partnering with municipalities is important in creating localized economic growth and ensuring that the economic growth that we have is as diverse as possible. Having diversity in business is so important and those are the businesses that traditionally do not have the resources that they need. Giving people the tools that they need to survive and thrive is important. Long term, the economic outlook that I have is to ensure diverse business practices so that everyone wants to be in and stay in Allegheny County. 

How do you ensure that LGBQT-owned businesses have a seat at the table during these next phases of regional economic development? 

I have had the benefit of serving as the first openly gay Allegheny councilperson. That allows me to have a seat at the table and address specific issues related to the LGBTQ+ community. There are a lot of allies out there, but unless you have someone who truly understands the needs and has gone through these challenges themselves, you do not truly have a seat at the table. Ensuring that we have people in government, business, policy, and advocacy who are working to make this a great economic region is imperative. To truly have a seat at the table means having people in all sectors who understand the challenges.

How would you assess the inclusivity of Pittsburgh’s procurement and certification landscape for LGBTQ+-owned businesses?

I am a councilman for Allegheny County in Pennsylvania, in addition to being the executive director of Three Rivers Business Alliance. I am working with the city right now to have the county accept LGBTBE certification for their procurement process and I hope for that to be a model across the state. One of my goals as a county councilman is to ensure that Allegheny County accepts LGBTBE certification on a county level so that they can ensure 3 to 5% of their contracts are through LGBTBE-certified businesses. 

Looking ahead, what are your top priorities for the Alliance over the next 12–24 months? 

Growing our membership to reflect not only LGBTQ+ businesses but also allies in the region who would like to learn more about how to diversify their businesses is a big priority for us. Helping corporations understand the importance of having a diverse workforce and expanding our mission of localized economic growth to be as vibrant and diverse as possible is at the forefront of our minds. We are trying to help LGBTQ+ business owners not just survive, but also scale. Supporting these individuals with capital and contracts as opposed to charity is key.