IL HB0665

Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall establish and support entrepreneurship assistance centers through grants at career education agencies and not-for-profit organizations to train minority group members, women, individuals with disabilities, dislocated workers, and veterans in business development and small business management.

Selection criteria for centers include local support from educational institutions and businesses, financial assistance levels, understanding of program goals, supplemental fee-for-service plans, community need, staff quality, and economic distress in the service area.

Each center must operate as a not-for-profit corporation with a board of directors, establish an advisory group of community business experts (at least half representative of clientele), provide accessible location, and create referral systems to existing small business assistance programs.

Centers shall provide services including entrepreneur screening, business concept analysis, market analysis, management counseling, business and financial planning assistance, referrals to financing and educational resources, and connections to business incubators.

Department must monitor center performance through quarterly reports and submit annual evaluations to the Governor and General Assembly beginning January 1, 2023, assessing service to target populations, funding leverage, and new business start-ups resulting from the program.