Integrating Entrepreneurship Development in the Workforce System: the NOVA-GATE Project

Presentation to the Entrepreneurship Education Conference

Norfolk, VirginiaNovember 9, 2009

2

SkillSource Centers

• Under contract with The SkillSource Group, Inc. (SSG), the Fairfax County Department of Family Services deliver public employment and job training programs through One-Stop “SkillSource” Centers in Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties

• SSG is the administrative arm of the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board (NVWIB), the governing body for this workforce area, under the Federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998

• In addition, SkillSource delivers a variety of other grant-funded federal and state employment and training programs for targeted populations, as well as providing youth, small business, and tax preparation services

3

CBPD Partnership

• A major strategic partner of SkillSource is the community-based non profit, The Business Development Assistance Group (BDAG), Inc.

• The Business Development Assistance Group (BDAG) was founded in 1992 to help small and minority-owned businesses become more viable through educational programs, training and seminars.

• BDAG is co-located with the SkillSource employment center in the Falls Church human services building in the Center for Business Planning and Development

44

SkillSource Center Locations

• 1-4: SkillSource Centers and Affiliate Sites

• PR: Pre-Release Center

• E: SHARE Locations

• : Emerging Sites

• : Falls Church Model One Stop

• 1-4: SkillSource Centers and Affiliate Sites

• PR: Pre-Release Center

• E: SHARE Locations

• : Emerging Sites

• : Falls Church Model One Stop

LEESBURG

RESTON

FALLS CHURCH

ALEXANDRIA

GAINESVILLE

CENTREVILLE

FAIRFAX

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY

LOUDOUN COUNTY

FAIRFAX COUNTY

FAUQUIER COUNTY

WASHINGTON, DC

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD4

3SH

2

1

PRC

SH

SH

SH

NOVA WOODBRIDGE

WOODBRIDGE

* In Addition, there are 17 VITA Sites that also cover Fauquier

5

Falls Church One-Stop

SkillSource One-Stop Employment Center

Job Corner (Youth Employment Center)

6

CBPD Structure

Workforce InvestmentBoard

Workforce System Partner

Workforce InvestmentBoard

Workforce System Partner

Fairfax County DFSSupport & Coordination

Fairfax County DFSSupport & Coordination

Business Development

Assistance GroupOperations

Business Development

Assistance GroupOperations

Center for BusinessPlanning & Development

(CBPD)

Center for BusinessPlanning & Development

(CBPD)

7

About BDAG

• The partnership maximizes potential entrepreneurship of immigrants, especially refugees, by providing economic opportunities, knowledge of tools to enable them to become economically self-sufficient through self-employment.

• The BDAG website, publications, and staff services are all available in English, Vietnamese, Korean and Spanish. Additional languages are available upon request.

8

SkillSource Center Services

Financial Education& Asset Building

CASH VITA1

Business Development/

CBPD2

VASAVOR3

NOVAGATE4

3 Tiers of WIA5 Services

SNAPET6

WIA Youth

Job Corner

Summer Employment Program/EYE8

Choices for Success

EXPO

Health Care Professional Provider

BRAC7

Youth ServicesCase ManagementCommunity and

BusinessDevelopment

Self Directed Services

Customer Referral/Walk In

Programs in orange signify a collaboration between SkillSource,

DFS, and BDAG

1 Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope (CASH) &Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program2 Center for Business Planning and Development (CBPD)3 Virginia Serious and Violent Offender Re-Entry Initiative (VASAVOR)4 Northern Virginia Growing America Through Entrepreneurship (NOVA GATE) Program5 Workforce Investment Act (WIA)6Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAPET)7Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)8Educating Youth through Employment (EYE)

9

Annual Mega Job Fair

• In 2005 Fairfax County Government, The SkillSource Group, Inc., and The Business Development Assistance Group sponsored the first annual “Envision Your Success” Exposition.

• This event created the opportunity for job seekers to interface with employers and service providers, many of whom conducted on-the-spot interviews.

• More recently, the Mega Job Fair also featured informative workshops on the following topics:

• Getting a Job with the Federal Government• Starting a Franchise Business in a Down Economy• Business Express• NOVA Training Expressway to High Demand Jobs• Surviving a Job Loss

10

Project GATE

• Department of Labor implemented Project GATE (Growing America Through Entrepreneurship) in 2003-2005 in three states – Maine, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota

• GATE II was started in 2009 in four states – Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama and Minnesota

• Virginia Community College System and the SkillSource Group, Inc. have partnered together to deliver GATE services to the Northern Virginia area

• Goal is to provide support to laid off workers over 45 who are interested in starting a business

11

NOVA GATE

• The Northern Virginia Growing America Through Entrepreneurship Project (NOVA GATE) is a 3-year collaborative effort serving dislocated workers age 45 and over that are eligible for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services.

• This program will provide 225 dislocated workers with information, classroom training, one-on-one technical assistance and counseling so they can establish and sustain new businesses.

• The project anticipates creating 40-55 new businesses with a projected three-year economic impact between $1.4 million and $2 million.

12

Multicultural Outreach

13

NOVA GATE Partners Schematic

The SkillSource Group, Inc.NOVA GATE Project Director

The SkillSource Group, Inc.NOVA GATE Project Director

Center for Business Planning and Development

(Business Development Assistance Group)

Referral and Intake Services

•SkillSource Centers (Fairfax Co. Dept. of Family Services)•Fairfax Co. Public Schools Adult &Community Education

Referral and Intake Services

•SkillSource Centers (Fairfax Co. Dept. of Family Services)•Fairfax Co. Public Schools Adult &Community Education

Services Provided to Older Workers by BDAG

•Workshops•Technical Assistance•One-on-One Counseling

Services Provided to Older Workers by BDAG

•Workshops•Technical Assistance•One-on-One Counseling

Services Provided to Older Workers by Partner

Organizations

•Entrepreneurship Training (Northern VA Community College)•Loans (Selected Local Financial Institution) •Financial Management Training (FDIC Money Smart Program)•Business Support Services (Chambers of Commerce)

Services Provided to Older Workers by Partner

Organizations

•Entrepreneurship Training (Northern VA Community College)•Loans (Selected Local Financial Institution) •Financial Management Training (FDIC Money Smart Program)•Business Support Services (Chambers of Commerce)Growth in Older Worker Micro-Enterprise and Creation of New

Jobs in Northern VirginiaGrowth in Older Worker Micro-Enterprise and Creation of New

Jobs in Northern Virginia

Virginia Community College System(Grant Fiscal Agent)

Virginia Community College System(Grant Fiscal Agent)

14

Program Design

Initial One on One

Interview

Initial One on One

Interview

SkillSourceCenter &

Coordinator

SkillSourceCenter &

CoordinatorDeveloping

Business PlanDeveloping

Business Plan

DevelopingMarketing Plan

DevelopingMarketing Plan

Business Training

Business Training

Business LoanAssistance

Business LoanAssistance

Monthly Focus Group MeetingMonthly Focus Group Meeting

MentoringMentoring

Participants Participants

YesYes

NoNo

Open aBusinessOpen a

Business3 MonthsFollow up3 MonthsFollow up

CaseClosedCase

Closed

BusinessSelf

Assessment

BusinessSelf

Assessment

Ready toStart a

Business

Ready toStart a

Business

15

Business Self-Assessment

• Online Assessment Sections:

• General Readiness

• Financial Readiness

• Experience and Skills

• Personal Characteristics

16

Developing Business/Marketing Plan

Business Overview Description of Product and/or Service Describe the Market (Target Population) Describe Competition Estimate Start up Cost Estimate Annual Revenue Business Readiness

17

Loan Assistance

Microloan Up to $35,000 Enterprise Development Group (EDG) Community Business Partnership (CBP)

Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) Loan Up to $15 K Community Business Partnership (CBP)

SBA Guarantee Loan Up to $2 M

Regular Bank Loan

18

Mentorship

• Match participants with mentors who are experienced in similar businesses

• Mentors with business skills that participants are interested in

• For period up to three months

19

Why is this project unique?

• Significant public-private partnerships

• Multiple funding streams

• Designed to serve population with significant work, but not necessarily entrepreneurship, experience

• Multicultural and multi-language capacity for a diverse area

20

Current Trends through 9/2009

2121

Where are We Going?

• Where do we go from here?

• Deploy new marketing and outreach strategies

• Provide incentives for those in the pipeline

• Continue to seek out new loan and financial options

• Continue to hold monthly focus groups and networking opportunities

• Host community event to raise awareness of NOVAGATE in January, 2010

• Continue to work with the Virginia Employment Commission to promote entrepreneurship opportunities through unemployment insurance distribution

21

22

Contact Information

Kimberly Grafton, NOVA GATE Project Manager

6245 Leesburg Pike, Suite 315

Falls Church, VA 22044

Kimberly.grafton@fairfaxcounty.gov

703-533-5486

Toa Do, BDAG President

6245 Leesburg Pike, Suite 410

Falls Church, VA 22044

Tquangdo@aol.com

703-538-7412