02.17.23
Community Navigator Pilot Program Opens Doors to Entrepreneurship for All
Tammy Allen, Sr. Director, Marketing & Communications
Relationships and resources. Those are two of the most powerful tools budding entrepreneurs can access on their path toward success, and the Community Navigator Pilot Program (CNPP) is leveraging those community-based resources in a big way in Northeast Indiana.
At NIIC’s Innovation Leadership Showcase Breakfast earlier this year, panelists highlighted their roles in helping underserved populations navigate their way toward successful entrepreneurship.
The CNPP program reflects a new approach at the NIIC. According to Mike Fritsch, President and CEO at NIIC, the organization’s new focus—and new brand—is all about collaborating with other economic development and entrepreneurial resource organizations to coordinate the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Northeast Indiana.
As part of that approach, NIIC has become more intentional in developing strategic partnerships with organizations that have already built trust with rural, minority, and female business owners. “We want all citizens in Northeast Indiana to have the ability to start a business or be part of an entrepreneurial venture,” said Fritsch.
Whether people want to invest in lifestyle ventures, small businesses, scalable businesses, or social entrepreneurship, or even find new opportunities within large corporations, the NIIC’s CNPP is helping them discover the resources they need—through people they trust—to achieve those goals.
One of those trusted partners is the Fort Wayne Urban League (FWUL). “Because of our relationship with the NIIC,” said Aisha Arrington, FWUL President, and CEO, “we are not only able to help people in our community even think of the idea of entrepreneurship, but also have solid resources to really get it up and running.”
Arrington points to people’s ability to work with coaches, mentors, and peers through eight-week CNPP cohorts. “You’re working alongside people that have the same kind of dream as you, and you learn from each other because it’s relationship-based,” she said.
According to Arrington, “every cohort has been filled. So that tells us there’s a need for it. We’re glad to have that resource available to our community.”
Another trusted partner in the CNPP is the Allen County Public Library (ACPL). The Community Navigator Pilot Program provided opportunities for the library to showcase its resources for basic level entrepreneurship skills that people may not have.
Those resources include access to technology, market research databases, or even staff who can help with technical assistance. In this way, the library is bridging internet and technology gaps that may be preventing entrepreneurs from being successful.
One of our tenants of ACPL’s strategic plan is building community partnerships and finding ways to serve underserved communities, especially since entrepreneurship can be transformational for communities.
Arrington agrees. “We live in a really cool city,” she said, “where there are a lot of programs and resources already out there, and we just need to work together to connect folks with those resources.”
Thanks to the Community Navigator Pilot Program, entrepreneurs in Northeast Indiana now have access to the resources they need, creating a seamless path toward success. It’s just one more way the NIIC is opening doors to entrepreneurship for all.
