Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity (Women’s CEO), a local nonprofit on a mission to advance economic equity and elevate women of color.
The mission of the Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity is to equip, elevate and empower African American and other women of color to access the knowledge and resources they need to create generational wealth and a legacy of economic impact while staying well. In doing so, the Center pursues the advancement of economic equity, inclusion, and justice.
This grant will support the Women’s CEO “Aspire” Small Business Accelerator program. Aspire is created for women of color entrepreneurs, providing resources to spark growth and deepen skills that support that backbone of a small business. This includes operations strategy and systems, business networking, access to funding, and culturally-specific mentoring and coaching. The Aspire Accelerator offers a comprehensive 12-week program of over 50 hours of assessment, hybrid master-class style instruction, business advising, coaching, and mentoring. The program culminates in a competitive pitch event with a $25,000 business grant to the winning entrepreneur. Council's support to the Women’s CEO will help make this pitch event possible.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Job Growth subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity (Women’s CEO) in support of their Aspire Accelerator program; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure of $5,000.00 within the Job Growth subfund. ($5,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council seeks to support diverse entrepreneurs in the city of Columbus who are on a pathway of growth and investing in their businesses through efforts to up-skill and seek mentorship and networking opportunities; and
WHEREAS, the Women’s Center for Economic Opportun...
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