2023 New York Laws › COM - Economic Development Law › Article 9 - Entrepreneurship Assistance Centers › 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, 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 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.