Don't wait for the New Year!

Scholars Program 10,000 Small Businesses is a five-year initiative to unlock the growth and job creation potential of 10,000 small businesses across the United States through greater access to business education, financial capital, and business support services. The program operates through a national network of public and private partner organizations, including community colleges, business schools, and Community Development Financial Institutions. The initiative is currently active in Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York and New Orleans, and will continue to expand to communities across the country. The core elements of the program include:      · Business and Management Education:  Small business owners will develop a business growth plan and receive practical business and management education delivered through partnerships between local community colleges, universities and other institutions     · Access to Capital:  Goldman Sachs will commit a combination of loan capital and philanthropic support to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that are focused on serving small businesses and other entities in underserved communities     · Business Support Services:  Business advice, technical assistance, and networking will be offered to participating small business owners through partnerships with the community colleges and national and local business organizations, as well as the people of Goldman Sachs     · Because Goldman Sachs will provide loan capital to our CDFI partners, the CDFIs will directly administer loans to small businesses across the United States Applicants must be the owner or co-owner of a business that meets the following criteria:     · Business in operation for at least two years     · Business with $150,000 to $4.0 million in annual revenues in the most recent fiscal year     · Business with a minimum of 4 employees In addition, broad characteristics of business owners targeted to participate include, but are not limited to:     · Limited access to a business and management education program     · Limited financial resources to obtain a similar level of education     · Limited access to capital     · A desire and the motivation to grow the business and create jobs    If interested please contact Warren Cooley at VEDC for more details (818) 907-9977 x224 or wcooley@vedc.org.  If no other information is needed, and you’re ready to sign up please contact either Los Angeles City College or Long Beach City College at the websites listed below:

Long Beach City College       www.lbcc.edu/10000smallbusinesses          Applications due Monday, December 13, 2010 ·          Los Angeles City College       www.lacc10ksb.com         Applications due Monday, January 3, 2011