Green For All Business Academies
The Capital Access Program (CAP) is partnering with the University of Phoenix to convene a series of Business Academies aimed at supporting green entrepreneurs and small business owners – particularly those coming from low-income communities and communities of color.
Given the historic marginalization of these demographic groups, it is imperative that they be provided with the basics of the emerging green economy. Entrepreneurship has proven to be an effective economic development tool, but the fundamentals must come first. While there are plenty of resources available that explain how to write a business plan, there is very little content devoted to the needs of capital-constrained green entrepreneurs.
Our Business Academies will attempt to meet those needs. The first two will be held on University of Phoenix campuses in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Portland, Oregon, on March 30 and a date to be determined in May, respectively. These daylong Academies will provide attendees with in-depth green business training, and may include the following workshops or panels:
• Costs and Benefits of Going Green
• Securing Public and Private Capital
• Marketing Your Green Business
• Sourcing and Supplying Green Products
• Integrating Environmental Practices
• Success Stories from Green Entrepreneurs
We will also provide supportive networking opportunities, by bringing in small business lenders, investors, and/or government officials.
We hope that the attendees of these Business Academies will come away not only with a better understanding of green business principles, but also with resources they can utilize in their efforts to grow a sustainable enterprise.
To that end, CAP will distribute a variety of publications at these events – such as How to Write a Green Business Plan, Sources of Funds for Green Entrepreneurs, How to Green Your Business, and 10 Accessible Green Businesses You Can Start Now. Attendees will enter a network of like-minded entrepreneurs, small business owners, capital providers, and policy makers, all of whom share their aim of growing a local green economy.
These Business Academies will be limited to small business owners and/or executive directors of nonprofits. If you would like to participate in these informative Academies, please download and complete this application (PDF or Word document), and return it to [email protected]. We will be sure to respond within one week.
