Indiana State University Newsroom

The West Central Indiana Small Business Development Center at Indiana State University was awarded a Wabash Valley Community Foundation grant to continue initiatives that boost entrepreneurs.

The $2,500 grant was awarded to the Scott College of Business and the Small Business Development Center during a program at Clabber Girl on April 16, said Heather Strohm, the center's director.

The center provides entrepreneurs in Vigo, Clay and Sullivan counties with training that includes monthly small business boot camps to discuss how to start a business, develop a business plan and determine the feasibility of starting a business before expending capital.

"This grant will allow us to continue with those programs, which were in jeopardy of being cut because of budget cuts the center has taken over the last few years," Strohm said. "We work with aspiring and current entrepreneurs through seminars, consultations, training and development. We weren't able to do the startup feasibility launch workshop and the research plan workshop at as great a frequency before the grant, but now we'll be able to continue doing those for the community once a month."

The Community Foundation offers opportunities for the community to apply for grants to help with initiatives, ranging from after school programs with the Boys and Girls Club to entrepreneurial assistance, as was the case with the Small Business Development Center.

The one-time grant will be used to continue two monthly workshops that have a combined attendance of about a dozen entrepreneurs and are promoted by the center, the Chamber of Commerce and other organizations.

"We help entrepreneurs be more successful in their business ventures through tracking how many jobs are retained or created each year, capital infusion into the community that creates tax dollars to use on economic development or infrastructure improvements," Strohm said. "We help businesses be successful by continuing those workshops, one of the byproducts is that capital infusion, businesses starting and jobs created and retained."

Contact: Heather Strohm, director, West Central Indiana Small Business Development Center, heather.strohm@indstate.edu

Writer: Betsy Simon, media relations assistant director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-7972 or betsy.simon@indstate.edu