Crummer Receives Grant from Orange County to Help Diversify Central Florida’s Economy
Funding will be directed towards the School’s entrepreneurship programming, specifically in helping diversify our economy through entrepreneurship.
The Crummer Graduate School of Business is proud to announce that we have received $95,000 in grant funding through the Orange County Government’s Economic Stimulus 4.0 program.
The stimulus seeks to diversify the local economy as the Central Florida region emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings says the stimulus package priorities economic diversity initiatives as well as an investment in social entrepreneurship in Central Florida.
“We are very grateful to Orange County for this generous funding,” said Dean Dr. Deborah Crown. “Crummer has long been at the forefront of entrepreneurship in Central Florida. This grant will enable us to expand our reach and impact to further the County’s goal of leveraging entrepreneurship to diversify the economy.”
The grant will help provide support to three programs offered through the Crummer Graduate School of Business: the ATHENAPowerLink & CEO Roundtables for Women Business Owners programs, the Crummer/Rollins Venture Plan Competition, and the Crummer Entrepreneurial Growth Series.
“Each one of these programs receiving funding are already shaping our Central Florida community in a positive way; this funding will allow us the opportunity to help drive more business creation and expansion in our region,” said Dr. Pete McAlindon, executive director of Crummers’ Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship.
The ATHENAPowerLink program is affiliated with ATHENA International, dedicated to creating leadership opportunities for women. ATHENAPowerLink guides high potential women business owners to define and achieve tangible goals by providing access to a panel of volunteer business advisors for a 12-month period. Its graduates report an average annual increase in net income of 37% upon completion of the program.
To date, ATHENAPowerLink Orlando has graduated over 40 successful women business owners. The program is offered through the CFAE in conjunction with local business and community partners throughout Central Florida. The CEO Roundtables for Women Business Owners (WBOs) program is the next step for ATHENAPowerLink graduates looking for further development and continued peer-to-peer networking.
The Crummer Venture Plan Competition is Central Florida’s largest annual business plan and pitch competition where teams vie for funding, exposure, and mentorship in front of the region’s top entrepreneurs, leaders, and venture capitalists. The competition continues to serve as the premier platform for Central Florida startup companies to gain exposure and funding.
The Crummer Entrepreneurial Growth Series is a multi-week workshop series that offers business owners the opportunity to expand their skills and to help shape and drive their businesses toward accelerated growth. These workshops are designed to provide the knowledge and tools that owners can immediately apply to their organizations. Offered in an a la carte format, entrepreneurs choose the sessions most relevant to their needs.