Project Title
Charlotte Small Business Development and Capital Investment for Low Income Citizens
Project Aims
This project has four distinct aims. They are to:
1. Assess the needs of current and prospective small business owners in low income areas of
Charlotte;
2. Offer training in small business protocols and capital investment for low income areas of Charlotte;
3. Help prospective business owners find capital needed to start their business;
4. Expand our network and influence to help develop business throughout the greater Charlotte area
Project Background
Majority of small businesses that fail, do so because of lack of planning and knowledge to succeed.
Our firm is established in financial services and provides services to low income areas of Charlotte.
We provide them training and financial services for free or connect them with affordable services,
in order to ensure their future success in Charlotte. Our project will be to expand the number of
small businesses and prospective small business owners we serve.
Project Rationale
Charlotte has a significant low income population that consists of skilled workers whose industries have left
the area. Through local advertising we plan to reach these people as well as other potential small business
owners and provide them with the need opportunities for training to start their own business. By performing
research of the specific market of the charlotte area we will facilitate those needs for business growth to the
potential business owner. Our program will specifically target low income areas of Charlotte, however
everyone benefits from a
Project Methodology and Timeline
This project will be completed in four phases. The phases are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Assessing needs of current and future business owners in Charlotte
Acquiring the personnel and assets necessary to meet our clients’ needs
Establish new partnerships with other firms in Charlotte who provide similar services to ours
Marketing to proper market segment, and providing the services to our new clients
During Phase One (April-June 2012), the project team will meet regularly to assess the current state of
businesses in Charlotte. We will do this using our assets already in place and our combined 60 years of
business experience in Charlotte. We will determine whether the most benefit will be achieved through
education of prospective and current business owners, networking, or assistance in capital investment,
business law.
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During Phase Two (July 2012 – October 2012) the project team will look into acquiring the services of
subject matter experts in the areas we want to focus on the most. We will look into possibly hiring the
following experts:
1. Business Attorneys
2. Social Media in Business Experts
3. Market Forecasting Experts
4. Project Managers
Some of the experts which we will ask to speak will be able to offer time as part of their occupational pro
bono hours that they are required to complete. The other subject matter experts that we will be utilizing we
will be supplying an honorarium for their time.
Phase Three (July 2012 – October 2012) will be conducted simultaneously with phase two. We will partner
with area companies and educational facilities that provide similar services in order to provide the most
benefit to Charlotte businesses as possible. We will exchange our experts and the assets we have with the
other facilities in order to maximize efficiency. If another company is already providing a service, we will
utilize them instead of saturating the market by providing the same service in the same area.
Phase Four (November 2012 – March 2013). The quantitative data will be analyzed using Survey Monkey
for surveys and SPSS for focus groups (if necessary). The qualitative data will be analyzed using Nvivo
software.
Project Team and Team Management
Ms. Pamela Richardson-Nowak (Project Leader)
Brief Bio – related to project
Terre Lucas – BEST Coordinator
Brief Bio – related to project
Dr. Sarah Minslow
Sarah Minslow graduated with her PhD in English from the University of Newcastle in Australia in 2010.
She worked in the Centre for Teaching and Learning as the Teaching and Learning Grants and Awards
Officer for two years. While there, Dr. Minslow led a project team at the University of Newcastle to create
support resources for first generation students. Her team held focus groups and conducted online surveys
with first generation students to assess what they wanted their external support networks to know about
their university experience and how they need to be supported. The team, led by Dr. Minslow, created a zip
card of information and an enrolment day session for friends and family for first generation students. Dr.
Minslow will provide advice on the methodology of this project, which will borrow from the previously
completed one. She will help design the surveys, hold focus groups, and analyze the data.
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Budget
Item
Amount
Research Assistant
Catering
Gift Cards
Survey
Development
Nvivo data analysis
Resource
Development
Costs
Dissemination
costs
Conference
Attendance
On-costs
In-kind
Justification
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