2021 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  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.
  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.