The $1,000 Start-Ups Consortium

$1,000 Start-Ups mission is to provide economic and re-entry opportunity by training and funding low cost business start-ups for entrepreneurs from traditionally marginalized or at-risk communities. Our vision is to offer the opportunity to start and grow a success small business to anyone who completes the program. Since 2020, our cohort members have started or grown 30 businesses and almost 100 small businesses have displayed with us at our small business fairs. Our 2023 Cohort will graduate in January 2024 and add an additional 18 businesses to that number.

The $1,000 Start-Ups Entrepreneurship, Financial Management and Life Skills program provides training and funding for low cost business start-ups for entrepreneurs from traditionally marginalized or at-risk communities. The $1,000 Start-Ups Consortium conducts four small business fairs each year in traditionally underserved communities. The fairs have several purposes: - To allow the students in the Entrepreneurship, Financial Management, and Life skills training programs to introduce their new businesses to the community and assess the viability of their products or services. - To provide a venue for are small businesses to grow their customer base and revenue. - To introduce businesses to and bring money into the traditionally underserved community. - By displaying with other small businesses, small business owners network, learn from each other, provide referrals and share additional venue opportunities.