DEVELOPMENT CENTERS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP &
SMALL BUSINESS CENTER
The Entrepreneurship Center fosters and leads the development of entrepreneurial mindset, venture creation, and small business growth and sustainment in marginalized communities of color within the Washington Metropolitan Area.
VISION
MISSION
Our mission is to create and sustain viable Black communities through thriving Black businesses. Through its programming, GWUL EC assists in removing barriers to entrepreneurship opportunities and expediting resources to successful small business start-up, growth, and expansion.
COHORT SPECIALIZATIONS
BY OUR HANDS COHORT:
ELEVATING FOOD CULTURE
CONTRACTORS’ PATHWAY TO INCLUSION COHORT:
CONTRACTORS BECOME PROCUREMENT READY!
ENTREPRENEURSHIP SPARK COHORT:
MAPPING YOUR ENTREPRENEURSHIP JOURNEY
ARTS AND CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS’ COHORT:
BUILD x CONNECT x CREATE
What does the Entrepreneurship & Small Business Center Do:
We are committed to offering free and/or discounted services that build competent entrepreneurs:
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Subject-Matter Workshops
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One-On-One Personalized Coaching
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Contractors Resource Information
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Access to Capital Facilitation
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Business License Assistance
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Business Model Development
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Assessments, Evaluations, and Feasibility Studies
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Peer Interaction and Network Support
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Business Therapy for Entrepreneurs
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Market Research Support
BRAP Ceremony 2023
In FY 2023 GWUL’s PepsiCo BRAP participants were supported through a service mix of intensive developmental cohorts, individual and group counseling, subject matter expert workshops and inclusion in special networking and customer acquisition events. These services were delivered through the GWUL Entrepreneurship Center’s “By Our Hands”: Elevating Food Culture (BOH) branded program.
Learn more in our report below.
BY OUR HANDS COHORT: ELEVATING FOOD CULTURE
Elevate the prominence of Black food culture in the Metropolitan Washington Area. Create an innovative food service collaborative that sustains emerging and legacy food service businesses, through the By Our Hands framework.
VISION
MISSION
By Our Hands participants receive training, coaching, and resources to launch, sustain, and scale their food service business. We incubate, educate, counsel and connect participants to resources and each other.
PURPOSE/COMMITMENT
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Provide step-by-step guidance to start food service industry businesses
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Provide opportunities to learn the power of networking and collaborating
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Provide training in the latest technology and best practices within the food service industry
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Provide access to funding resources and information on how to bid on food contracts
CONTRACTORS’ PATHWAY TO INCLUSION COHORT:
CONTRACTORS BECOME PROCUREMENT READY!
The Contractors’ Pathway accelerates procurement success among Black contractors in winning and retaining contracts through our personalized approach.
VISION
MISSION
To provide guidance through the acquisition life cycle, moving contractors through the Contractors’ Pathway with a personalized step-by-step roadmap. We incubate, educate, counsel and advise!
PURPOSE/COMMITMENT
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Better positioned to win contracts
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Provide step-by-step guidance through the bid process
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Position contractors to scale
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Assist in growing revenue and creating jobs
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Build a complete ecosystem of strategic partners, tools, and resources
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Stimulate multi-generational wealth creation and legacy building
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Close the racial wealth gap
ENTREPRENEURSHIP SPARK COHORT: MAPPING YOUR ENTREPRENEURSHIP JOURNEY
The vision of the Entrepreneurship Spark Cohort is to foster and lead the development of entrepreneurial mindset, emotional support, skills assessment, and venture creation.
VISION
MISSION
Our mission is to provide training and resources to emerging entrepreneurs to activate their passion from ideation stage to venture launch. Through the Spark Cohort, client’s entrepreneurial readiness is assessed and participants are guided in their journey with the development of a personalized step-by-step roadmap.
PURPOSE/COMMITMENT
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Facilitate entrepreneurship exploration
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Nurture a creative entrepreneurial mindset
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Identify characteristics of the entrepreneur
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Introduce critical entrepreneurship skills
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Present a holistic approach with emphasis on the development of the entrepreneurial mindset
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Understand the history and impact of entrepreneurial psychology/trauma
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Establish placement within the entrepreneurship ecosystem
ARTS AND CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS’ COHORT: BUILD x CONNECT x CREATE
Our vision is to transform emerging and established artists of all mediums into entrepreneurs and business owners. Artists and creatives will have the tools to pursue new markets and maximize their passion.
VISION
MISSION
To advance the business management skills and capacity of Black artists through training sessions, workshops, and resource connections. The Cohort fosters a supportive ecosystem to sustain artists and creatives.
PURPOSE/COMMITMENT
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Train artists on general business principles
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Provide coaching to arts-based businesses
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Facilitate the organizing and licensing of cohort participants into established businesses
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Enroll cohort businesses into GWUL’s Center for Financial Inclusion programs, tracking fiscal and qualitative progress
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Stimulate multi-generational wealth creation and legacy building
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Close the racial wealth gap
BLACK RESTUARANT ACCELERATOR PROGRAM
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2024 RECIPIENTS OF THE BLACK RESTAURANT ACCELERATOR PROGRAM GRANT!
Eight local Black-owned food service businesses received $10,000 each. The funds will help them elevate their business whether that's through staffing, marketing, or other operational needs.
Over the past four years, we have awarded twenty-four businesses in total. In September 2024, we honored each grantee during our culminating ceremony. Thank you to our partners, Pepisco Foundation, and National Urban League's Entrepreneurship Center for making this program possible.
For more information, please contact Program Director, Furard Tate, at ftate@gwul.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sponsors
