10,000 Small Businesses

“Our recovery is dependent on hard-working small business owners across America who will create the jobs that America needs. I’m proud to be a part of this innovative program which provides greater access to know-how and capital – two ingredients critical to success.” Warren Buffett, CEO, Berkshire Hathaway


“More than a decade of Inner City 100 winners demonstrate conclusively that growing urban businesses can generate jobs and revitalize disadvantaged communities. The 10,000 Small Businesses program will meet a vital need in disadvantaged communities, which is to provide the training, tools, and relationships, to help local entrepreneurs and their businesses grow and create a self-reinforcing cycle of economic opportunity.” Michael Porter, Founder & CEO, Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and Bishop William Lawrence University Professor, Harvard Business School


“This initiative will make it possible for LaGuardia, and leading community colleges across America, to help create jobs. Right now, nothing is more important. Today, LaGuardia helps thousands of students gain the skills and education they need to work in today’s economy. With this innovative approach, we, and other community colleges, will have the resources to provide small business owners with hands-on education, training and consulting that can help them build their businesses. We’ll be able to help these entrepreneurs understand their markets, raise capital and position them to attain success and expand their companies, while contributing to the fabric of their communities.” Gail O. Mellow, President, LaGuardia Community College


“The $300 million this program is investing in CDFIs will make a significant impact on CDFI financing for small businesses, particularly now. This is the largest single-source pool of capital dedicated to CDFI small business financing.” Mark Pinsky, President & CEO, Opportunity Finance Network


“Small business growth is one of the most important priorities of the National Urban League. Our Entrepreneurship Centers are engines that support small business owners to help them create new jobs and increase growth. We are proud to partner with the 10,000 Small Businesses initiative to reach more small businesses in underserved urban communities. This initiative fills a vacuum and will have significant impact.” Marc Morial, President & CEO, National Urban League


“We at NFIB know that small businesses are the answer to our economic recovery and work hard every day to support them. But there remains an urgent need to connect small business owners with support and education services in their communities, as well as access to capital. 10,000 Small Businesses will meet that need.” Dan Danner, President & CEO, National Federation of Independent Business


“Innovative partnerships like 10,000 Small Businesses amplify the significant potential of the Hispanic business community. By providing Hispanic business owners with the training and skills they need to build their businesses, this initiative will foster economic development with business owners in communities who need it most.” Javier Palomarez, President & CEO, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce


“Our experience as a partner with Goldman Sachs in 10,000 Women has demonstrated the extraordinary power of this model to create economic growth and a shared prosperity for women entrepreneurs around the world. We expect 10,000 Small Businesses also to engender a significant positive impact on individuals, families, communities, and cities across this country.” Thomas Robertson, Dean, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania


“Earlier this year, I was honored to be asked by Governor Paterson to serve as chair of a task force on diversifying the New York state economy through collaboration between industry and higher education. This experience reinforced the great value of sharing best practices between universities and businesses to assist in urban and rural small-business development. 10,000 Small Businesses is a perfect example of a partnership to leverage existing economic strengths and innovation, leading to job creation and growth in our communities.” David Skorton, President, Cornell University


“Community colleges are the gateway to higher education and the American dream for millions of entrepreneurs in our country. By increasing the capacity of community colleges, 10,000 Small Businesses is not only helping business owners – it is strengthening community colleges and the communities they serve.” George Boggs, President & CEO, American Association of Community Colleges


“As a partner in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative, we’ve seen that there’s an unmet need to provide entrepreneurs with innovative, tailored management education with access to mentors and networks. This approach gives entrepreneurs the practical skills they need to drive two major metrics in their businesses: revenue growth and job creation. We’ll see that here in the U.S. when the gap is filled by 10,000 Small Businesses.” Glenn Hubbard, Dean, Columbia Business School


“Community colleges not only offer unparalleled access to higher education that helps students succeed, they work hand-in-hand with small businesses throughout the country and are vital to the success of America’s economy. The community college students who will participate in 10,000 Small Businesses will serve as real agents for change and progress in our country.” Noah Brown, President & CEO, Association of Community College Trustees


“As a national CDFI we understand the challenges facing small businesses. In our experience access to capital, in addition to early-stage and post-financing assistance, are critical factors to successful, sustainable businesses. This investment furthers our innovative approach to small business development by providing affordable financing, as well as high-touch business assistance and executive mentors to support these businesses.” Lesia Bates Moss, President, Seedco Financial, Inc.


“Kauffman research documents that continued firm formation and growth are critical for overall growth in output and employment. Initiatives like this one, which will provide business and management education at community colleges for small business owners seeking to grow, will help firms achieve this critically important objective. Such an initiative also could not come at a better time, when policy makers and citizens are looking for ways to sustain the recovery after the current stimulus measures end or are unwound.” Robert Litan, Vice President for Research and Policy, Kauffman Foundation and Senior Fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution


“Over many years of researching and teaching entrepreneurship, we’ve seen the power of a practically-oriented management education for small business owners. 10,000 Small Businesses will help more entrepreneurs access that education, which can have a transformational effect on the students and ultimately their communities.” Leonard Schlesinger, President, Babson College


“Community colleges expand access to higher education in this country. This exciting collaboration between 10,000 Small Businesses and community colleges will help high-potential entrepreneurs build their capacity and grow their businesses, to the ultimate benefit of their communities, employees, and the broader society.” David Dodson, President, MDC and Managing Partner, Achieving the Dream


“We’ve been working with disadvantaged small business owners for almost thirty years, and have found that this kind of program works. It is wonderful to see it being launched on such a large scale, and we look forward to seeing the impact it will have.” Paul Danos, Dean, The Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College


“We see extreme need among small businesses for high-quality management education. Providing access to capital and support services, in addition to entrepreneurial education programs, is unprecedented in the field and in the lives of program participants and their communities.” Judy Olian, Dean and John E. Anderson Chair, UCLA Anderson School of Management


“The potential is enormous for this initiative to create lasting impact. Like the 10,000 Women program, 10,000 Small Businesses applies strategic rigor to addressing an unmet need. It builds on and innovatively scales the work of community colleges, nonprofits, and government agencies long active in the communities concerned. This ‘big bet’ comes with a commitment to meaningful and measurable results in the knowledge that excellence in philanthropy is self- imposed. I expect it will set a new standard.” Thomas Tierney, Chairman & Co-Founder, The Bridgespan Group