§ 211. Entrepreneurship assistance centers. * 1. The department shall
establish and support, within available appropriations, entrepreneurship
assistance centers at career education agencies, municipal 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
designation as 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.

* NB Effective until July 2, 2025

* 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.

* NB Effective July 2, 2025

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 one
hundred seventy-five 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.