Item:
Title
Presentations from Forward Cities and Knox Street Studios on Small Business Support Programming (45min)
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: April 7, 2025
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to receive presentations from Forward Cities and Knox Street Studios to update on their ARPA-funded programs to support Durham entrepreneurs.
As part of the Board’s strategic plan for administering the County’s American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding, the Board initially authorized the use of $1,500,000 to implement a comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystem that included targeted support for small businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic. After the applications were reviewed, staff recommended, and the Board approved the initial award to Forward Cities (FC), as well as a second grant award of $750,000 to Knox St. Studios (KSS).
In September, 2023, Durham County issued a Request for Proposal for a Small Business Support Program (RFP) to create and maintain a comprehensive entrepreneurial support system that provides targeted support for qualifying small business operating in Durham County. The two main priorities of the RFP are stated below with the full RFP is attached to the agenda item.
§ Establish and Maintain an Entrepreneurial Support System for Small Business Owners Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic
§ The first priority for the grant program to be operated under this RFP is for an organization to create and maintain a comprehensive entrepreneurial support system for qualifying small business operating in Durham County that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. The organization that receives funding will be responsible for the following activities:
§ Provide Targeted Small Business Support for Qualifying Small Business
§ In addition to creating the entrepreneurial support system, the second priority will be for the project to include specific strategies for targeted support for qualifying small businesses within Durham County. Targeted support activities should include the following:
Funding for both awards was approved by the BOCC on December 11, 2023. The FC contract was approved on March 25, 2024, and the KSS contract was approved on April 29, 2024. Both contracts have an end date of June 30,2026.
Forward Cities intends to leverage their E3 Durham experience and this funding opportunity to scale the program by transitioning to a community-informed model that will maintain the navigation function at no-cost to entrepreneurs and add:
• Design a ‘learn to earn’ program that incentivizes clients to accumulate entrepreneurial education and network connection ‘credits’ to procure subsidized professional services from local Business-to-Business (B2B) service providers;
• Stand-up cohort accelerators that address gaps identified by entrepreneur intake forms, which function as a needs assessment;
• Provide entrepreneurs with front-end counseling and navigation of Durham’s small business landscape;
• Develop a data-informed and community-designed Ecosystem Strategic Plan;
• Leverage an intentional focus on expanding supports for capital access, certifications and procurement, and;
• Create a vibrant physical hub of activity based in a culturally rooted downtown coworking community.
KSS programming and services will prioritize technology companies and growth-stage companies (4-8 years in operation) while also supporting the broader needs of the ecosystem. A high-level summary of contracted services include:
• Hosting Start-Up Weekends as part of the Early Stage Accelerator cohorts that focus on topics ranging from Sustainability to Health and Wellness;
• Hosting the Support to Scale Incubator cohorts that includes a Commercial Real Estate Track and a venture Capital Track;
• Digital Certification programming and support to include an 8-week cohort focused on AI skill development;
• Tech Skills Workshops and Industry Awareness Campaign to include Prototyping with AI and Building Where the Billions Are;
• Provision of 1:1 Counseling through Trusted Advisors;
• Access to Capital through third-party support.
The preceding text was shared as part of the respective agenda items where the awards were approved. For a more current update on the status of the programs, please refer to the attached presentations.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This item aligns with Strategic Plan Goal - Regional Leadership 1c.
Resource Persons: Andy Miracle, Economic Development Director, Durham County; Maurice Jones, Deputy County Manager, Durham County; Magalie Yacinthe, Senior Director of Programs, Forward Cities; Jacinta Walker, E3 Durham Program Director, Forward Cities; Lee Gray, Associate Director; Knox Street Studios.
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board receive presentations from Forward Cities and Knox Street Studios to update on their ARPA-funded programs to support Durham entrepreneurs.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________