The American Association of Community Colleges has announced a $995,000 grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to launch the Virtual Incubation Network, a pilot program designed to encourage the creation of small businesses in ten states.
Community colleges often host small business incubators to help sustain local companies through the challenging start-up stages of development. VIN aims to scale the concept to hundreds of community colleges in order to serve geographically isolated, economically disadvantaged communities in need of jobs and revenue. The initiative will be implemented by AACC in collaboration with the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship and with other partner organizations in the future.
"Small businesses play an enormous role in stimulating and sustaining economic growth — both in local communities and nationally," said AACC president and CEO Walter G. Bumphus. "This new initiative presents an exciting and innovative way to encourage small business growth without costly investment in new facilities and added infrastructure."
“Community Colleges To Fuel New Business Creation Via Virtual Incubator Network.” American Association of Community Colleges Press Release 2/01/11.
A nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, the RCWE’s mission is to connect people with jobs through collaborative workforce development efforts and strong partnerships with economic development, business, education, and government sectors in the Northwest Pennsylvania region.
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