Governor, Mayor, County Executive Announce $5 Million Grant to ULGM Black Business Hub

GOVERNOR EVERS ANNOUNCES $21 MILLION OF NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENTS INCLUDING $5 MILLION GRANT TO ULGM BLACK BUSINESS HUB

Gov. Tony Evers today announced the city of Madison will receive $6 million and Dane County will receive nearly $15 million as part of the Neighborhood Investment Fund grant program. These funds will be used for community development projects that expand affordable housing, bolster economic, social, and cultural opportunities, and support business development and entrepreneurship.

The Urban League is excited to announce that Governor Evers, in partnership with Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and County Executive Joe Parisi have allocated $5 million of those funds towards the Black Business Hub.

The Black Business Hub and the Black Business Hub Accelerator Program will be the Madison region’s premiere enterprise center devoted to incubating, accelerating, and networking Black and other entrepreneurs of color. The Hub is both a physical space and a place-based, Black-led entrepreneurial ecosystem and community. The Hub will anchor the southern-most entrance into the Park Street corridor and downtown Madison with a vibrant 80,000 square foot center of commerce and entrepreneurism led by Black business owners and entrepreneurs.

In tandem with the Hub, ULGM is developing a place-based Accelerator program that will provide access to capital, a culturally relevant ecosystem of small business technical assistance services, and a facilitated community network of Black entrepreneurs (see further down in this email for some of these current opportunities).

Other projects receiving support that were announced by the Governor today included Center Hispano of Dane County, Center for Black Excellence & Culture, Bayview Community Center, and the Madison Public Market. "This is an unprecedented investment in South Madison," noted Urban League CEO Ruben L. Anthony, Jr. "The Governor, County Executive, and Mayor are investing in an area that has historically seen under-investment. This will pay back in economic empowerment for the residents and families of South Madison for many generations to come."

The Urban League extends it congratulations to these other great organizations that were also awarded grants today. We look forward to collaborating to make south Madison and the entire Madison region of model of equity and inclusion. We also thank the many state and local elected leaders that are investing in these dynamic projects. Finally, we thank the Black Business Hub and Black Business Hub Accelerator Program donors, other financial supporters, and public and private partners who are too numerous to mention here.

The total cost of the Black Business Hub project is $25.5 million which includes funds to construct the building, funds to provide training and technical assistance to entrepreneurs, and funds for direct loans and grants to entrepreneurs. With this grant, the Urban League has now raised nearly $17.5 million for the project. This is sufficient funding to allow the Urban League to begin construction while it continues its campaign to raise the remaining $8 million.

The Urban League is currently leasing space in The Hub, accepting applications for the gALPHA Urban League Accelerator Program, holding one-on-one office hours with interested entrepreneurs, and accepting applications for the Sylivia T. O'Neill Together We Build Wealth. See below for more information.

gALPHA Urban League Accepting Applications

gALPHA Urban League is a free four-week accelerator that works with Black entrepreneurs and other entrepreneurs of color from high tech startups to main street small businesses. gALPHA Urban League will provide educational components, mentorship and networking opportunities for entrepreneurs with new ideas as well as for those already in business but looking to expand or enhance their company.

gALPHA Urban League is powered by gener8tor, a nationally ranked entrepreneurial accelerator. We are especially seeking entrepreneurs who are interested in becoming a part of the Black Business Hub. The application deadline is March 11, and the program will run from March 28 to April 22.

Apply Now

Sylvia T. O'Neill Together We Build Wealth Fund

The Sylvia T. O'Neill Together We Build Wealth fund was established by Sylvia's daughter Jan to honor her mother's lifelong commitment to equity for all. The fund aims address the wealth gap between White and Black families in Dane County by making grant investments in Black-owned businesses.

The fund will provide expansion grants ranging from $5,000 up to $50,000 to existing, scalable, Black-owned businesses in the Madison area that have at least 3 years of successful operation with a strong customer base and are well positioned to expand should they have access to unencumbered grants. The fund is being advised by a collaboration between Sylvia’s daughter – Jan O’Neill, the Madison Black Chamber of Commerce, and the Urban League of Greater Madison's Black Business Hub Accelerator Program.

Apply Now

gBETA Urban League Office Hours

Do you have questions about gALPHA Urban League or the Together We Build Wealth Fund? Wondering if these programs are the right fit or if your business qualifies? Schedule a one-on-one meeting with gBETA Urban League Director, Nichole Crust. Nichole comes to this position with experience in the entrepreneurial ecosystem having worked previously for gener8tor as Ideation & New Ventures Manager and as Accelerator Studio Program Manager. She also worked previously as the Capital Access Manager for Kiva Greater Madison.

Schedule

About The Black Business Hub & Black Business Hub Accelerator Program

The Black Business Hub is set to become the region's first place-based, Black-led enterprise center devoted to incubating, accelerating, and networking Black and other entrepreneurs of color. The Hub is both a physical space and an ecosystem of business development services. It will be a 75,000 square foot state of the art building located at the southern gateway into Madison's capital city. The Hub will include a wide range of spaces including retail storefronts, small office spaces, co-working space, pop-up space, a rentable commercial kitchen, and much more. It will also include on-site economic and small business development agencies.

About gBETA Urban League:

gBETA Urban League is an exciting new collaboration between the Urban League's Black Business Hub Accelerator Program, gener8tor, and the Madison Black Chamber of Commerce. gener8tor is nationally ranked as a GOLD-tier accelerator by the Seed Accelerator Rankings Project. The Madison Black Chamber of Commerce is the region's premiere association representing over 600 members in their mission to nurture, grow, and sustain businesses through education, advocacy, and other services. This exciting new collaboration will offer webinars, lunch-and-learns, cohort style accelerators, and more to entrepreneurs looking to be part of the Urban League's Black Business Hub community. More information about the Black Business Hub is available.

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