N.Y. Economic Development Law § 211: Entrepreneurship assistance centers

§ 211. Entrepreneurship assistance centers. 1. The department shall

establish and support, within available appropriations, entrepreneurship

assistance centers at career education agencies and not-for-profit

corporations including, but not limited to, local development

corporations, chambers of commerce, community-based business outreach

centers and other community-based organizations. The purpose of such

centers shall be to train minority group members, women, individuals

with a disability, dislocated workers and veterans in the principles and

practice of entrepreneurship in order to prepare such persons to pursue

self-employment opportunities and to pursue a minority business

enterprise or a women-owned business enterprise. Such centers shall

provide for training in all aspects of business development and small

business management as defined by the commissioner. For purposes of this

section, "career education agency" shall mean a community college or

board of cooperative educational services operating within the state.

2. The department shall establish criteria for selection and

designation of such centers which shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) require that each support center program provide at least sixty

hours of instruction for each participant and that each program be

supplemented by ongoing technical assistance for business development

for those who have completed the program;

(b) the level of support for the center from local post-secondary

education institutions, businesses, and government;

(c) the level of financial assistance provided at the local and

federal level to support the operations of the center;

(d) the applicant's understanding of program goals and objectives

articulated by the department;

(e) the plans of the center to supplement state and local funding

through fees for services which may be based on a sliding scale based on

ability to pay;

(f) the need for and anticipated impact of the center on the community

in which it will function;

(g) the quality of the proposed work plan and staff of the center; and

(h) the extent of economic distress in the area to be served.

3. Application for grants made pursuant to this section shall be made

in the manner and on forms prescribed by the commissioner. Such

application shall include, but shall not be limited to:

(a) a description of the training programs available within the

geographic area to be served by the center to which eligible clients may

be referred;

(b) designation of a program director;

(c) plans for providing ongoing technical assistance to program

graduates, including linkages with providers of other entrepreneurial

assistance programs and with providers of small business technical

assistance and services;

(d) a program budget, including matching funds, in-kind and otherwise,

to be provided by the applicant;

(e) permit a joint application from a consortium of career education

agencies and not-for-profit corporations, or any combination thereof,

for establishing a cooperative program; and

(f) such other requirements as deemed necessary by the department.

4. Each center shall:

(a) be operated by a board of directors representing community leaders

in business, education, finance and government;

(b) be incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation;

(c) be located in an area accessible to eligible clients;

(d) establish an advisory group of community business experts, at

least one-half of whom shall be representative of the clientele to be

served by the center, which shall constitute a support network to

provide counseling and mentoring services to minority group members,

women, individuals with a disability, dislocated workers and veterans

from the concept stage of development through the first one to two years

of existence on a regular basis and as needed thereafter; and

(e) establish a referral system and linkages to existing area small

business assistance programs and financing sources.

5. Each entrepreneurship assistance center shall provide needed

services to eligible clients, including, but not limited to:

(a) orientation and screening of prospective entrepreneurs;

(b) analysis of business concepts and technical feasibility;

(c) market analysis;

(d) management analysis and counseling;

(e) business planning and financial planning assistance;

(f) referrals to financial resources;

(g) referral to existing educational programs for training in such

areas as marketing, accounting and other such training programs as may

be necessary and available; and

(h) referral to business incubator facilities, where appropriate, for

the purpose of entering into agreements to access shared support

services.

6. Grants made pursuant to this section shall be subject to the

following limitations:

(a) no grant shall be made to any one or any consortium of career

education agencies and not-for-profit corporations in excess of two

hundred fifty thousand dollars; and

(b) each grant shall be disbursed for payment of the cost of services

and expenses of the program director, the instructors of the

participating career education agency or not-for-profit corporation, the

faculty and support personnel thereof and any other person in the

service of providing instruction and counseling in furtherance of the

program.