LULAC ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME TO HELP LATINO ENTREPRENEURS START SMALL BUSINESSES
LULAC is launching a Spanish-language pilot of an innovative 80-step model program for building a successful small business in Dallas and El Paso in conjunction with Dr. Morris and the University of Notre Dame
Dallas, TX - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is proud to announce its partnership with The Urban Poverty and Business Initiative (UPBI) at the University of Notre Dame that will provide an opportunity for Latino entrepreneurs to grow and boost their small businesses. As part of the partnership, LULAC will launch two pilot programs that will provide training, mentorship and consultancy support to local Latino small businesses owners in Dallas and El Paso, Texas.
LULAC is the first national Latino non-profit organization to partake in this opportunity-building program at Notre Dame, led by Dr. Michael H. Morris, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation in the university’s Keough School of Global Affairs. The program is offered through the Keough School’s McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business and supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation.
The new partnership will work with members of the Latino community who have experienced disadvantaged circumstances when trying to start their own businesses. It will assist Latinos who are looking to start their first business from scratch or develop a business that is not currently scalable—such as a simple cleaning business, hair salon, restaurant or landscaping contractor with a limited number of employees.
The 80-step, Spanish-language program begins with six weeks of training. Participants who successfully complete the training will receive four months of mentorship from a successful Latino entrepreneur in their region for hands-on support and guidance. They will have access to numerous resources, including website and social media creation support, bookkeeping support and community networking opportunities that are integral to starting a successful business. In addition, if a participant completes 25 of the 80 activity steps while they are in the program, they become eligible for a $2,000 microgrant provided by the UPBI. Iterations of this program created by Dr. Morris are currently active in 37 cities with almost 3,000 participants.
“We are grateful to be working with Dr. Morris and the University of Notre Dame, and we are excited that their proven track record will provide crucial opportunities for Latino small business owners in Texas and beyond,” said Domingo Garcia, LULAC National President. “Latinos are some of the hardest workers in our country and with the right tools they can have an incredible impact not only on their families but in their communities as well. We hope to replicate the programs throughout the entire country. This will be instrumental in increasing Latino entrepreneurship and will help grow the number of Latino-owned and operated businesses across the country.”
“We are truly excited about the possibilities ahead,” said Dr. Michael Morris. “Working with LULAC is an honor, and allows us to get the program in the hands of those that need it. Our hope is to positively impact the ventures of Latinos throughout the country with an approach that can produce financially sustainable businesses. Latinos have been historically excluded from the resources needed to be successful entrepreneurs. Our unique stepwise approach differs from approaches centered on the lean start-up or the business plan. It is simplified—step-by-step guidance on how to grow and strengthen a small business. Partnering with LULAC on this endeavor makes me very hopeful for the future.”
The pilot program will begin in late May with the inaugural LULAC class graduating in the Fall. Individuals interested in learning more can email Priscilla Garcia at pgarcia@lulac.org.
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