Q&A With RI Commerce Corp: RI Municipality Initiative

Liz Tanner
​Executive Vice President- Client Services
Rhode Island Commerce Corporation

​​Q. What is this Lean Training and Municipality Initiative I hear about?

A. While Commerce RI has been working hard to improve customer service at the state level, they have also been working hard to provide resources to municipalities. The Rhode Island Municipality Initiative seeks to eliminate the complex burdens on small businesses when registering or licensing with their local municipality. The end goal is to have a single application and a streamlined registration process to open a small business and/or license a business in a municipality.
Results examples:

1. Reduction in the amount of forms used
2. Reduction in the amount of time it takes to register a business
3. Credit card and email usage
4. Elimination of Council approvals

Example from Pawtucket to open a restaurant: Was 45+ days to open, now 25 or less; was 11
forms, now 4 forms and was 11 different visits to City Hall and now it is ZERO!

The following communities have streamlined their business registration and licensing process:

• Bristol
• Central Falls
• East Greenwich
• East Providence
• Little Compton
• North Kingstown
• North Providence
• North Smithfield
• Pawtucket
• Portsmouth
• Warwick
• West Warwick
• Woonsocket
• Warren

For more information, visit www.commerceri.com or contact Charlene Bouthillette at
Charlene.Bouthillette@commerceri.com.

Upcoming Events & Deadlines:
• March 22-23: Department of Defense Northeast Regional Council Training & Matchmaking
More information and registration: http://www.ribusinessmatch2017.org/

---