WISE Women’s Business Center awarded state grant, selected as an entrepreneurship-assistance center

The WISE Women’s Business Center (WBC), which works in collaboration with Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management, has been selected as one of 24 entrepreneurship-assistance centers in New York. Pictured in this file photo from 2023 are Meghan Florkowski (left), director of the WISE WBC, and Carolyn Tucker, communication & program specialist at WISE WBC. The center is located inside Equitable Tower I at 100 Madison St. in Syracuse. (File photo credit: Syracuse University news website)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The WISE Womens Business Center (WISE WBC) says it has been selected as one of 24 entrepreneurship-assistance centers in New York.

The recognition follows the receipt of a grant of more than $73,000 from Empire State Development (ESD) in 2023, furthering the centers commitment to advancing women in business and fostering economic growth in Central New York, per the announcement from Syracuse University (SU).

WISE WBC tells CNYBJ that the grant renews annually as long as the organization meets the goals for the funding.

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The WISE Womens Business Center works in collaboration with SUs Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

The centers programs reach underserved, minority and rural populations across the seven counties it serves, which the organization says is in line with its commitment to equity and community impact.

The entrepreneurship-assistance centers program which ESD administers — seeks to support aspiring and existing entrepreneurs by providing essential resources and fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, SU said. The centers act as catalystsfor economic development, offering educational programs, training, and mentorship opportunities to empower businesses across the state.

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SU said that the WISE Womens Business Center will use the 2023 ESD grant to support its Accelerate: Business Plan Intensive program. The initiative is currently in its fourth year, and the programs seventh cohort begins work on April 9.

The low-cost, eight-week intensive program provides women entrepreneurs in the early stages of their business with expert guidance, peer collaboration, and personalized support in developing and refining business plans that they can use for loan applicationsand finding business partners.

We are honored to be selected as an Entrepreneurship Assistance Center and are excited about the opportunities this presents for women entrepreneurs in our region,Meghan Florkowski, director at the WISE Womens Business Center, said in the SU announcement. This grant will enable us to enhance our commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs, fostering economic growth, collaborating with community partners, and contributing to the vibrancy of the Central New York small business community.

In addition to its affiliation with the Whitman School, the WISE Womens Business Center is designated as a Womens Business Center through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). This recognition underscores the centers commitment to serving women entrepreneurs by providing impactful programs, resources, and one-on-one tailored support in reaching their business goals.

Eric Reinhardt: