The Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) is excited to announce the 2024 WeAspire Incubator Program.
Donor Name: Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD)
State: District of Columbia
Type of Grant: Training or Mentorship
Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 03/01/2024
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The Aspire Incubator Program is a cohort-based training program for up to 20 DC-residents who are returning citizens and/or justice-impacted (parole or probation) starting or growing a DCbased business. The Aspire Incubator Program is an opportunity for participants to grow a DCbased microbusinesses within a community of support and receive stipends for completing various business development milestones for up to $5,000 in direct stipends. This will include completing planning, regulatory, finance, and public speaking milestones. Microbusinesses accepted into this competitive program will receive business development training and support in the following areas:
- Regulatory Set Up and Compliance Business Pitch & Showcase
- Financial Projections and Financial Management
- Marketing & Branding
- Peer Mentorship
Eligibility Criteria
- The Aspire Incubator program is for returning citizens and/or justice-impacted residents. Justice-impacted means those who have been incarcerated or detained in a prison, immigration detention center, local jail, juvenile detention center, or any other carceral setting, or those who have been sentenced to parole or probation.
- Participation in the Aspire Incubator program is a public declaration of reentry and/or justice impacted status. They understand that not everyone who is justice-impacted is comfortable with sharing their status publicly. If you are not comfortable, you may prefer to not participate in the Aspire Incubator program, and may reach out to DSLBD for referrals to alternative business development support.
- Program eligible microbusinesses and entrepreneurs must be DC-residents operating or seeking to start a DC-based business. This program is only for For-Profit businesses. Applicants and program participants must be the majority business owner. Multiple participants per business are not accepted.
For more information, visit DSLBD.
