I Am Empowered - I am the National Urban League

What is the Entrepreneurship Center Program?

The Entrepreneurship Center Program – a Signature Program of the National Urban League (NUL) – provides management counseling, mentoring and training services geared toward the development of management skills enabling minority entrepreneurs to obtain financing and /or contracts that support job creation and preservation.  The Entrepreneurship Center Program goal is to increase minority entrepreneurs' competitiveness and profitability to support their ability to start up more businesses with higher survival rates, and break out to new markets and higher growth.
 

How big is it?

The program has grown steadily since 2006, when five centers provided 1,272 hours of management counseling and 1,777 hours of business skills training to 1,164 clients.  In 2016, thirteen centers provided 10,114 hours of counseling and 23,948 hours of training services to 6,955 entrepreneurs.
 

What have Entrepreneurship Center participants achieved?

In 2016, the centers had 17,030 participants that attended counseling and/or training sessions. These services helped entrepreneurs to create or save 58,608* jobs and receive $261,601,909 in new contracts and financing.  Entrepreneurs across the country are benefiting from the services provided by the center.  Click Here to read their Success Stories!
*This includes 57,266 jobs created by the Greater Cincinnati Urban League's Ohio River Valley Women's Business Council (ORV-WBC)

How can I get help?

Contact the Center nearest you to arrange an assessment of the type of help you need, and to register for group training sessions where you can build skills and learn about business opportunities. 
 

Where are the centers?
 
Urban League of Greater Atlanta

Greater Baltimore Urban League

Chicago Urban League

Greater Cincinnati Urban League

Urban League of Greater Cleveland

Houston Area Urban League

Jacksonville Urban League

Urban League of Greater Kansas City

Las Vegas - Clark County Urban League

Los Angeles Urban League

Urban League of Greater New Orleans

Urban League of Philadelphia

Greater Washington Urban League

How can I help?

Entrepreneurship Centers enlist local business mentors who help entrepreneurs develop skills.  Centers also make appropriate referrals to local resources that provide management and technical assistance in the areas such as idea development, operations management, business plan development, marketing, procurement and financing.  If you are a potential mentor or service provider, please contact the Center nearest you.

Who funds it?

BB&T
BP
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses
Stonehenge Capital Company
UPS Foundation
U.S. Economic Development Administration
Wells Fargo

Nationwide Tips and Deals