HUNTINGTON BANK AND CITY OF CLEVELAND ANNOUNCE ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM TO HELP REGION'S SMALL BUSINESSES GROW
Entrepreneurs in Residence Powered by Huntington will provide services from 11 nonprofits and City Hall
CLEVELAND, Jan. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntington National Bank and the City of Cleveland today announced a new initiative to help small businesses grow and positively impact the economy in the greater Cleveland region and neighboring communities. The Entrepreneur in Residence Powered by Huntington program involves a partnership between Huntington and 11 nonprofit organizations in Cuyahoga, Lorain, and Ashtabula counties. The nonprofits – each chosen for their expertise in supporting small business growth – will provide coaching and skills-training to help small businesses start and or grow their businesses while expanding their abilities to succeed.
One of the participating organizations in the Entrepreneurs in Residence Powered by Huntington program will be housed at Cleveland City Hall in partnership with Mayor Justin M. Bibb and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. The City Hall-based Entrepreneur in Residence will focus on minority business development on the southeast side of Cleveland. The Resident will work to bring initiatives such as the neighborhood retail assistance program and the storefront development program to the Lee/Harvard, Mount Pleasant, and Union Miles neighborhoods of Cleveland.
"Small and minority owned businesses will drive our economic recovery. The Entrepreneur in Residence Powered by Huntington program will provide us with the opportunity to support local businesses on the southeast side and connect them to resources inside and outside of City Hall," said Mayor Justin M. Bibb, City of Cleveland. "This program highlights our commitment to putting people and neighborhoods first."
Huntington's 11 nonprofit partners will provide programming ranging from supporting minority real estate development contractors, manufacturers, and immigrant entrepreneurs to students and youth. Programs will include business coaching, financial management, digital technology skills, business planning, business growth, marketing, sales, revenue strategies, and more. Many of the programs focus on minorities and women.
"During listening sessions that we conducted last year, our partners shared the critical need for supporting under-resourced small business owners. We know that access to capital is a key part of helping small businesses grow and thrive," said Sean Richardson, greater Cleveland regional president of Huntington. "Entrepreneur in Residence Powered by Huntington is designed to leverage the expertise of our nonprofit partners to help small businesses expand their skills."
In addition to the 11 nonprofit partners, Huntington works with five more organizations to present webinars, speakers, training, and articles to help small businesses access content and advice beyond the core programs. The City Club of Cleveland will offer programming that features entrepreneurs and small business owners throughout the year. The Greater Cleveland Partnership-COSE will offer content about access to capital for small businesses.
Following is a list of the 11 nonprofit partners participating in the Entrepreneurs in Residence Powered by Huntington program:
Nonprofit Partner | Program description |
Lorain County Community College | Small business development center 1:1 coaching |
MAGNET | Iterator for manufacturing companies with new ideas or scaling up |
Cuyahoga Community College | Online executive in residence and workshops, financial literacy |
Cleveland Neighborhood Progress- Village Capital Corp | 1) Cleveland City Hall Entrepreneur in Residence to focus on business growth in Cleveland's southeast neighborhoods |
Greater Cleveland Partnership-Economic Growth Foundation | Minority business development assistance coach for businesses with $500,000 to $1 million in revenues |
Urban League of Greater Cleveland- UBIZ Venture Capital | Youth entrepreneurship program |
ECDI | Digital coach for small business owners through the Women's Business Center |
New Entrepreneurs Opportunity Fund | Mentoring, advising, networking for start-ups in Ashtabula County |
Assembly for the Arts | Supports arts businesses with monthly financial coaching and capitalization |
Global Cleveland | Immigrant microenterprise startups and coaching |
President's Council | Financial metrics dashboard for minority-owned entrepreneurial start-ups |
Entrepreneur in Residence Powered by Huntington aligns with Huntington's 2021 Strategic Community Plan, a commitment of more than $40 billion to address social, racial, environmental and economic inequities across the bank's footprint. The community plan will foster financial opportunities for consumers, businesses, and communities served by Huntington, with a focus on affordable housing, small business loans and increased capital to historically disadvantaged and low- to moderate-income communities.
Huntington will invest more than $500,000 in the Entrepreneur in Residence Powered by Huntington program.
About Huntington
Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $174 billion asset regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1866, The Huntington National Bank and its affiliates provide consumers, small and middle-market businesses, corporations, municipalities, and other organizations with a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services. Huntington operates more than 1,100 branches in 12 states, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies. Visit Huntington.com for more information.
SOURCE Huntington National Bank
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