Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Community Partners Youth Development Organization, dba Center of Entrepreneurial Development, a non-profit entity, to support the organization’s Urban Launch School small business accelerator pitch event.
The mission of the event, is to bring small businesses participating in an accelerator program together, closing the educational, resource, and digital divide for urban and lifestyle entrepreneurs while eliminating the fragmentation of access to all the above. The approach to closing these divides is to help foster the development of a thriving, culturally competent Entrepreneur Support Ecosystem. This creates a safe space where urban entrepreneurs can operate above systematic barriers to gain resources, education, and tools to build and sustain their businesses.
The Urban Launch School program is a 10-week accelerator for black and brown entrepreneurs. The winter accelerator program, with an anticipated 10-15 graduates, will culminate in a pitch event. The 10-week program walks participants towards a business launch, ending in a pitch competition and micro-grant awards. In addition to the curriculum, participants are provided with branding and logo design support, legal support as needed, one-on-one business plan development services, and confidential peer group sessions.
The support of Columbus City Council will provide for micro-grants to the winners of the pitch competition. The pitch competition will occur in early 2023, making emergency legislation necessary to support the organization in a timely manner.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Job Growth subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Community Partners Youth Development Organization, dba Center of Entrepreneurial Development, to support of the organization’s Urban Launch School small business accelerator pitch competition; and to authorize an appropriatio...
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