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 appropriation and expenditure within the Job Growth subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($10,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Community Partners Youth Development Organization, dba Center of Entrepreneurial Development provides culturally competent entrepreneurial support and operates the Urban Launch School and pitch competition for black and brown entrepreneurs; and
WHEREAS, Columbus ranks below the national average in terms of its share of women, Black, Hispanic or Latinx-owned businesses; and
WHEREAS, the Urban Launch School accelerator program will support 20-30 entrepreneurs in the creation and launch of a business plan in 2022; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Clerk's Office in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the 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 program and pitch competition in early 2023; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with Community Partners Youth Development Organization, dba Center of Entrepreneurial Development, in support of their Urban Launch School pitch competition.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $10,000.00 in the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015, to the City Clerk per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $10,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized in the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.