The North Carolina Association of Workforce Development Boards (NCAWDB) is proud to announce that we have been awarded an ENGAGE grant from NC IDEA!
The funding from this grant will be used to support a one-time program called “Fueling the Future of the Small Business and Entrepreneurial Economy.” It will teach local workforce development boards and other interested parties about the best ways and practices to empower entrepreneurs and small businesses across North Carolina. The event will also feature a keynote speaker to give an overview of what it is like starting and running a small business and tips on how to best work with entrepreneurs. The event will be May 9th at the Research Triangle Institute. There is an expected attendance of 125.
NC IDEA was founded in 2005 as a 501c(3); the name is an acronym for Innovative Development for Economic Advancement. Based out of the American Tobacco Campus in downtown Durham, the now private foundation has awarded over $14.7 million and served more than 550 companies. In 2016, the NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM was born with the desire to advance entrepreneurship through creating more opportunities for the networking of ideas, experiences, and connections. To make this happen, NC IDEA launched the ENGAGE grant program in 2017 with the goal of celebrating entrepreneurship through bringing together like-minded individuals from a broad array of organizations and industries. They have issued over $800k in ENGAGE grants.
The NCAWDB was awarded the NC IDEA ENGAGE grant because of the alignment of the missions from the two organizations. The NCAWDB and the local workforce development boards seek to help businesses “prosper economically and remain competitive by providing a highly qualified, motivated workforce.” NC IDEA seeks to “strengthen the economy of North Carolina through a strategic combination of grants and programs, deployed directly and through a network of partners, in furtherance of [the NC IDEA] Vision to help people achieve their entrepreneurial potential.” By helping the NCAWDB and the local workforce development boards be better equipped to support entrepreneurs and small businesses, NC IDEA is fulfilling their mission and vision.
The NCAWDB looks forward to sharing the outcomes of this incredible event!
For more information or if you would like to register to attend, please email Dr. Stephanie Deese at sdeese@ncawdb.org .
For more information on the NCAWDB: https://www.ncawdb.org/
For more information on NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org/
For more information on the ENGAGE grants: https://ncidea.org/nc-idea-engage/
