Scholarships available for minority entrepreneurs

SANDUSKY — The Minority Business Empowerment Team has introduced what's known as the MBET Startup Scholarship, which will award up to 35 minority entrepreneurs $625 each to support the start of their new business. With the support of the Mylander Foundation and Regional Incubator for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship, the Startup Scholarship will sponsor the $125 cost of forming a business. For Love, With Love Charity has also committed to a $500 grant for additional startup expenses for selected scholarship recipients. Eligible entrepreneurs and small businesses include women, veterans, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community. An applicant's business ideas must be new with no company legally in existence. An existing business owner who has been filing personal taxes as self-employed but wishes to form a business entity will also qualify. The program outlines basic steps for applicants to complete to get their business off the ground. Each applicant will work directly with Regional Incubator for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship through the coordinator, Alissa Fisher, who will help them complete those steps and achieve their goals. "With this opportunity, I hope many people in our community will feel encouraged to apply and start working toward their entrepreneurial goals," Fisher said. Just 35 applicants will receive the scholarship. The program hopes to award all scholarship winners by the end of June. Visit bit.ly/MBETSS2 for more information and program guidelines About the Regional Incubator for Sustainability & Entrepreneurship The Regional Incubator for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship, often shortened to "RISE," is operated by the Erie County Economic Development Corp., the Norwalk Economic Development Corp. and BGSU Firelands. The Regional Incubator for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship program offers support for entrepreneurs and businesses by linking them to a wide range of assistance and skilled providers with expertise in business start-up, development and acceleration. Regional Incubator for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship is celebrating its 10th program year and has served more than 300 entrepreneurs across many stages of development and industries in the north-central Ohio region. Visit eriecountyedc.org/rise for more information About Minority Business Empowerment Team (MBET) The Minority Business Empowerment Team, often shortened to "MBET," is a grassroots collaborative effort between local minority-owned businesses, economic development organizations like the Erie County Economic Development Corp. and the Regional Incubator for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship; the city of Sandusky and its commissioners; and Sandusky City Schools. Its mission is to champion minority business development through collective and intentional entrepreneur support that improves the economic, social and personal standing for all minority entrepreneurs in the greater Sandusky area. Since forming in 2020, the group has used networking events and social media to build community and increase the visibility of local minority entrepreneurs and have delivered business and financial assistance to minority-owned businesses.