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For Entrepreneurs

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Education & Training

2 Network Support

Network Support

3 Financial Banking

Financial Backing

Running Start Training Program

RST opens the doors of economic opportunity to BIPOC entrepreneurs by guiding them through the process of building sustainable businesses.

Through RST, experienced mentors and business experts bring aspiring entrepreneurs through the stages of venture creation while openly addressing challenges and opportunities unique to minority business owners.

All alumni of RST maintain continuing access to year-round, wrap around support services through Urban Array’s many programs. Our goal is to provide all the support needed to give BIPOC-owned businesses the best chance possible at overcoming hurdles faced by startups so they can succeed at growing thriving businesses.

If you want to meet up with and learn from entrepreneurs in 12 communities across America, attend a free event and engage with your peers.

If you want to learn the steps to entrepreneurial success, join one of more than RST programs nationwide or learn from our online resources.

If you seek direct assistance to help you grow your business, here is a list of quality programs that we support.

“…for an organization I run that helps entrepreneurs…”

We grant funds to organizations (usually nonprofits) that help entrepreneurs. We primarily target organizations who support entrepreneurs who face barriers due to demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic disadvantages. We especially like ideas that generate knowledge that can be shared broadly to help other organizations, too.

You can begin the grant application process by following this link and then, on the application page, selecting “Entrepreneurship” and then “Grants for Entreprenuers.”

We work nationwide, but we give special consideration to organizations in our hometown of Chicago. Please note that we receive thousands of grant requests each year, but we can only fund a small percentage of them. Grants can take up to 2 months to process, depending on size, complexity, and other factors. Learn more about our grantmaking process.

“…to conduct research that helps entrepreneurs.”

We grant funds to research initiatives that generate practical, actionable knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and succeed. We also support the creation of data that track entrepreneurial activity. Check out our current research strategies and initiatives.

You can begin the grant process by following this link and then, on the application page, selecting “Entrepreneurship” and then “Research.”

“…to help entrepreneurs outside of the United States.”

We don’t directly support programs for entrepreneurs outside of the United States. We do, however, support the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), which helps entrepreneurial supporters in more than 180 countries and also runs the annual Global Entrepreneurship Week and Global Entrepreneurship Congress. Check out GEN if you have international interests.

“…building entrepreneurial ecosystems and economies.”

If you seek guidance on how to improve your community through supporting its entrepreneurs, please read our Urban Array Ecosystem Building Playbook.

If you are already actively supporting entrepreneurs and want to participate in a community of people like you, attend our UA Impact Summit to meet others building entrepreneurial ecosystems in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

 

“…advocating for policies that help entrepreneurs.”

If you want to learn more about entrepreneur advocacy, please read about the Foundation’s Entrepreneurs’ Policy Action Network (EPAN) and other ways we are working to reduce policy barriers for entrepreneurs.

Do you have an idea that helps investors in underserved entrepreneurs enhance their work, such as through learning and collaboration? Or are you seeking to test and validate a new investment model that invests in underserved entrepreneurial businesses? Learn more about our Restorative Investment Fund or the Urban Array Opportunity Fund (Real Estate) to see if your investment interests fit in with this initiative.

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