For over 10 years, the Compass Institute has been a trusted guide for organizations, government agencies, and businesses seeking to advance economic inclusion. What began as a small gathering of PRISM Compliance Management System users has evolved into the nationally recognized COMPASS Conference—an annual event where innovation, education, and community impact converge.
How It All Started
The COMPASS Conference first took root as conversations with the PRISM User Group. At its core, the COMPASS Institute provided direction, just like a compass, helping users navigate PRISM more effectively while giving valuable feedback on how to improve the product. Over time, what started as a technical workshop grew into a much larger platform for knowledge-sharing, industry collaboration, and advancing supplier diversity.
Shaped by Need, Strengthened by Purpose
The turning point came in 2020 during the pandemic. Small businesses, particularly minority- and women-owned enterprises, were disproportionately impacted by the economic downturn. The need for access to education, resources, and strategies became urgent. The Compass Institute emerged as a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that no small business would be set back by future disruptions. Its mission: to provide training, tools, and standards that empower diverse suppliers and drive economic growth.
The Power of the PRISM User Group
At the heart of the COMPASS Institute remains the PRISM User Group. For more than a decade, organizations have relied on PRISM to streamline compliance, reporting, and supplier engagement. Users, ranging from the City of San Diego to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, are not just system operators but innovators. They share real-world practices for moving from manual to automated processes, improving efficiency, and maximizing impact. These sessions highlight how clients can take PRISM to “the next level,” leveraging its productivity centers and advanced reporting capabilities to drive real change.
Evolving to Meet Industry Trends
The COMPASS Conference has grown beyond workshops led solely by staff. Today, customers and industry leaders take center stage, presenting on how they’ve advanced policies, streamlined operations, and measured outcomes like job creation and small business utilization. Sessions now emphasize practical takeaways—what attendees should bring back to their organizations—and how to use tools like PRISM to demonstrate economic impact.
A signature feature of the conference is the Economic Development Tour. This immersive experience takes participants into local communities to see firsthand how economic inclusion transforms neighborhoods. Meeting the developers, small business leaders, and innovators shaping these changes reinforces the tangible impact of equitable economic growth.
Looking Ahead: Setting the Standards
The Compass Institute is shaping the future by defining how organizations measure economic inclusion. In 2021, the Institute introduced The Top 10 Principles of Successful Economic Inclusion Programs. Looking 5–10 years ahead, the goal is clear: elevate outcomes by setting new KPIs that more accurately reflect success in diverse supplier engagement and economic equity.
Why Baltimore?
This year, the COMPASS Conference feels like a homecoming in “Charm City.” Baltimore’s diverse communities, historic neighborhoods, and ongoing redevelopment projects make it the perfect backdrop for a conference about transformation and inclusion. New for this year, attendees will experience the conference in Fells Point, a neighborhood rich with history..
As the CEO shared, “Every time we host in Baltimore, it’s relevant to what attendees can take back. There’s always something new to discover, and that’s exactly what COMPASS is about—discovery, growth, and impact.”
The Compass Institute and the COMPASS Conference continue to guide the way forward for businesses, governments, and communities seeking to create lasting economic impact. What began as a user group conference has grown into a movement; one that equips organizations to measure, report, and expand economic inclusion for years to come.
👉 Learn more about the Compass Institute and upcoming events at compassinstitute4dei.com.