SPRINGFIELD, MA – FEBRUARY 9, 2013 – Four community colleges that have shown excellence in their entrepreneurship programs have each been awarded $10,000 grants through the “Shared Vision for Small Business” grant competition conducted by the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) and Sam’s Club. The grants are the cornerstone of a collaboration formed last year between NACCE, the nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges, and Sam’s Club, one of the nation’s leading retailers.
Sam’s Club is providing financial support for NACCE and for members of its Presidents for Entrepreneurship Pledge (PFEP), through which over 180 community colleges presidents have agreed to fulfill five commitments that will increase both the focus on entrepreneurship at community colleges and the impact these colleges have on the economic well-being of the communities they serve.
“NACEE is an outstanding organization leading a conversation about the needs and impact of local entrepreneurs on our national economy, and the role community colleges play in providing support and training,” said Susan Koehler, Senior Manager, Sam’s Club. “Congratulations to four outstanding educational institution winners. We are pleased to support their efforts to deliver relevant and effective programming that leads to successful and sustainable business ventures.”
The winning colleges and the programs that will be supported by the grants are:
• Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI: Deliver the Small Business Design, Plan and Grow Program, an experiential learning program that includes a three-day, 24-hour Business Model Generation Workshop and an eight-week, 24-hour E-seed Express Entrepreneurship Training Series, one-on-one coaching, and networking.
• Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA: Expand a customized training program for small business owners, augmented with one‐on‐one advising offered through the LBCC Small Business Development Center.
• North Seattle Community College, Seattle, WA: Enhance and expand offerings through the on-campus Entrepreneur Success Center, which provides one-to-one assistance for individuals who contemplating starting a business, in the early stages of their start-up process, or experiencing a stall-out in taking their business to the next level.
• South Mountain Community College, Phoenix, AZ: Continue the development and enhancement of the college’s Small Business & Entrepreneur Center, which is both a physical and virtual resource for entrepreneurs. A portion of the grant funds will be used to pay stipends to local entrepreneurs to advise returning veterans and students about entrepreneurship and self-employment.
