Integrating Entrepreneurship Development in the Workforce System: the NOVA-GATE Project Presentation to the Entrepreneurship Education Conference Norfolk, Virginia November 9, 2009

2 SkillSource Centers Under contract with The SkillSource Group, Inc. (SSG), the Fairfax County Department of Family Services deliver public employment and job training programs through One-Stop “SkillSource” Centers in Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties SSG is the administrative arm of the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board (NVWIB), the governing body for this workforce area, under the Federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 In addition, SkillSource delivers a variety of other grant-funded federal and state employment and training programs for targeted populations, as well as providing youth, small business, and tax preparation services

3 CBPD Partnership A major strategic partner of SkillSource is the community- based non profit, The Business Development Assistance Group (BDAG), Inc. The Business Development Assistance Group (BDAG) was founded in 1992 to help small and minority-owned businesses become more viable through educational programs, training and seminars. BDAG is co-located with the SkillSource employment center in the Falls Church human services building in the Center for Business Planning and Development

4 4 SkillSource Center Locations 1-4: SkillSource Centers and Affiliate Sites PR: Pre-Release Center E: SHARE Locations : Emerging Sites : Falls Church Model One Stop 1-4: SkillSource Centers and Affiliate Sites PR: Pre-Release Center E: SHARE Locations : Emerging Sites : Falls Church Model One Stop LEESBURG RESTON FALLS CHURCH ALEXANDRIA GAINESVILLE CENTREVILLE FAIRFAX PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY LOUDOUN COUNTY FAIRFAX COUNTY FAUQUIER COUNTY WASHINGTON, DC MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD 4 3SH 2 1 PRC SH NOVA WOODBRIDGE WOODBRIDGE * In Addition, there are 17 VITA Sites that also cover Fauquier

5 Falls Church One-Stop SkillSource One-Stop Employment Center Job Corner (Youth Employment Center)

6 CBPD Structure Workforce Investment Board Workforce System Partner Workforce Investment Board Workforce System Partner Fairfax County DFS Support & Coordination Fairfax County DFS Support & Coordination Business Development Assistance Group Operations Business Development Assistance Group Operations Center for Business Planning & Development (CBPD) Center for Business Planning & Development (CBPD)

7 About BDAG The partnership maximizes potential entrepreneurship of immigrants, especially refugees, by providing economic opportunities, knowledge of tools to enable them to become economically self- sufficient through self-employment. The BDAG website, publications, and staff services are all available in English, Vietnamese, Korean and Spanish. Additional languages are available upon request.

8 SkillSource Center Services Financial Education & Asset Building Financial Education & Asset Building CASH VITA 1 Business Development/ CBPD 2 Business Development/ CBPD 2 VASAVOR 3 NOVAGATE 4 3 Tiers of WIA 5 Services 3 Tiers of WIA 5 Services SNAPET 6 WIA Youth Job Corner Summer Employment Program/EYE 8 Summer Employment Program/EYE 8 Choices for Success EXPO Health Care Professional Provider Health Care Professional Provider BRAC 7 Youth Services Case Management Community and Business Development Community and Business Development Self Directed Services Self Directed Services Customer Referral/ Walk In Customer Referral/ Walk In Programs in orange signify a collaboration between SkillSource, DFS, and BDAG 1 Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope (CASH) &Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program 2 Center for Business Planning and Development (CBPD) 3 Virginia Serious and Violent Offender Re-Entry Initiative (VASAVOR) 4 Northern Virginia Growing America Through Entrepreneurship (NOVA GATE) Program 5 Workforce Investment Act (WIA) 6 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAPET) 7 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 8 Educating Youth through Employment (EYE)

9 Annual Mega Job Fair In 2005 Fairfax County Government, The SkillSource Group, Inc., and The Business Development Assistance Group sponsored the first annual “Envision Your Success” Exposition. This event created the opportunity for job seekers to interface with employers and service providers, many of whom conducted on-the-spot interviews. More recently, the Mega Job Fair also featured informative workshops on the following topics: Getting a Job with the Federal Government Starting a Franchise Business in a Down Economy Business Express NOVA Training Expressway to High Demand Jobs Surviving a Job Loss

10 Project GATE Department of Labor implemented Project GATE (Growing America Through Entrepreneurship) in in three states – Maine, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota GATE II was started in 2009 in four states – Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama and Minnesota Virginia Community College System and the SkillSource Group, Inc. have partnered together to deliver GATE services to the Northern Virginia area Goal is to provide support to laid off workers over 45 who are interested in starting a business

11 NOVA GATE The Northern Virginia Growing America Through Entrepreneurship Project (NOVA GATE) is a 3-year collaborative effort serving dislocated workers age 45 and over that are eligible for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services. This program will provide 225 dislocated workers with information, classroom training, one-on-one technical assistance and counseling so they can establish and sustain new businesses. The project anticipates creating new businesses with a projected three-year economic impact between $1.4 million and $2 million.

12 Multicultural Outreach

13 NOVA GATE Partners Schematic The SkillSource Group, Inc. NOVA GATE Project Director The SkillSource Group, Inc. NOVA GATE Project Director Center for Business Planning and Development (Business Development Assistance Group) Referral and Intake Services SkillSource Centers (Fairfax Co. Dept. of Family Services) Fairfax Co. Public Schools Adult &Community Education Referral and Intake Services SkillSource Centers (Fairfax Co. Dept. of Family Services) Fairfax Co. Public Schools Adult &Community Education Services Provided to Older Workers by BDAG Workshops Technical Assistance One-on-One Counseling Services Provided to Older Workers by BDAG Workshops Technical Assistance One-on-One Counseling Services Provided to Older Workers by Partner Organizations Entrepreneurship Training (Northern VA Community College) Loans (Selected Local Financial Institution) Financial Management Training (FDIC Money Smart Program) Business Support Services (Chambers of Commerce) Services Provided to Older Workers by Partner Organizations Entrepreneurship Training (Northern VA Community College) Loans (Selected Local Financial Institution) Financial Management Training (FDIC Money Smart Program) Business Support Services (Chambers of Commerce) Growth in Older Worker Micro-Enterprise and Creation of New Jobs in Northern Virginia Virginia Community College System (Grant Fiscal Agent) Virginia Community College System (Grant Fiscal Agent)

14 Program Design Initial One on One Interview Initial One on One Interview SkillSource Center & Coordinator SkillSource Center & Coordinator Developing Business Plan Developing Business Plan Developing Marketing Plan Developing Marketing Plan Business Training Business Training Business Loan Assistance Business Loan Assistance Monthly Focus Group Meeting Monthly Focus Group Meeting Mentoring Participants Yes No Open a Business Open a Business 3 Months Follow up 3 Months Follow up Case Closed Case Closed Business Self Assessment Business Self Assessment Ready to Start a Business Ready to Start a Business

15 Business Self-Assessment Online Assessment Sections: General Readiness Financial Readiness Experience and Skills Personal Characteristics

16 Developing Business/Marketing Plan  Business Overview  Description of Product and/or Service  Describe the Market (Target Population)  Describe Competition  Estimate Start up Cost  Estimate Annual Revenue  Business Readiness

17 Loan Assistance  Microloan  Up to $35,000  Enterprise Development Group (EDG)  Community Business Partnership (CBP)  Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) Loan  Up to $15 K  Community Business Partnership (CBP)  SBA Guarantee Loan  Up to $2 M  Regular Bank Loan

18 Mentorship Match participants with mentors who are experienced in similar businesses Mentors with business skills that participants are interested in For period up to three months

19 Why is this project unique? Significant public-private partnerships Multiple funding streams Designed to serve population with significant work, but not necessarily entrepreneurship, experience Multicultural and multi-language capacity for a diverse area

20 Current Trends through 9/2009

21 Where are We Going? Where do we go from here? Deploy new marketing and outreach strategies Provide incentives for those in the pipeline Continue to seek out new loan and financial options Continue to hold monthly focus groups and networking opportunities Host community event to raise awareness of NOVAGATE in January, 2010 Continue to work with the Virginia Employment Commission to promote entrepreneurship opportunities through unemployment insurance distribution 21

22 Contact Information Kimberly Grafton, NOVA GATE Project Manager 6245 Leesburg Pike, Suite 315 Falls Church, VA Toa Do, BDAG President 6245 Leesburg Pike, Suite 410 Falls Church, VA