NY S08295

Repeals and replaces Article 9 of the Economic Development Law to establish entrepreneurship assistance centers at career education agencies and not-for-profit organizations to train minority group members, women, individuals with disabilities, and dislocated workers in business development and small business management.

Department of Economic Development must establish selection criteria for centers including level of local support, financial assistance, understanding of program goals, plans to supplement funding through sliding-scale service fees, community need, staff quality, and economic distress in the service area.

Each center must be operated by a board of directors, maintain an advisory group of business experts at least half representative of clientele, and provide services including business concept analysis, market analysis, business planning, financial planning assistance, and referrals to financing sources and educational programs.

Limits grants to any individual center or consortium to seventy-five thousand dollars, with funds used for program director costs, instructors, faculty, support personnel, and instruction and counseling services.

Department must monitor center performance, submit annual reports to Governor and Legislature by October 1st each year, and commission an independent evaluation of program effectiveness by September 1, 2013 and every four years thereafter.