10,000 Small Businesses

Selection Criteria

10,000 Small Businesses is designed for business owners who operate a business that is poised for growth. Applicants must be the owner or co-owner of a business that meets the following criteria:
• Business in operation for at least two years
• Business revenues between $150,000 and $4.0 million in the most recent fiscal year
• Business with a minimum of four employees

In addition, broad characteristics of business owners targeted to participate include, but are not limited to:
• Limited access to a business and management education program
• Limited financial resources to obtain a similar level of education
• Limited access to capital
• A desire and the motivation to grow the business and create jobs

Measuring Success
Goldman Sachs is committed to achieving and measuring results. Just as with 10,000 Women, the firm will hold this initiative to the highest standards of measurement and evaluation and strive to produce meaningful change by expanding economic opportunity for business owners and their employees in disadvantaged areas. The measurement system will track business revenue and job growth, as well as other indicators of success. This commitment to rigorous monitoring and evaluation will ensure accountability and transparency, and drive a process of continuous learning and improvement.

Built on Experience
Model programs such as Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women initiative, SBA’s e200 and ICIC’s IC100 illustrate the power of delivering integrated services to help small businesses create jobs locally.

Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women program clearly demonstrates the power of high quality business education linked with the provision of critical support services and access to capital. A rigorous yet practical and readily applicable curriculum that provides much needed business skills to predominantly underserved small business owners is proving of enormous value: graduates of the program around the world are increasing their revenues and hiring additional employees.

Please email your inquiry to 10000SmallBusinesses@gs.com