URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER MADISON INC

THE URBAN LEAGUE BLACK BUSINESS HUB & BLACK BUSINESS HUB ACCELERATOR PROGRAM PROVIDES BOTH SPACE AND AN ECOSYSTEM OF PROGRAMMING AIMED AT INCUBATING, ACCELERATING, AND NETWORKING SMALL BUSINESSES OWNED/FOUNDED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND OTHER UNDERSERVED INDIVIDUALS. THE HUB IS AN APPROXIMATELY 80,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING LOCATED IN AN ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREA IN THE HEART OF MADISON'S OLDEST MULTICULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD. CONSTRUCTION ON THE BUILDING BEGAN IN APRIL OF 2022. THE BASE BUILDING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED IN JULY OF 2023 AND LEASING OF TENANT SPACES BEGINNING THAT FALL AND EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS. THE BUILDING INCLUDES SPACES FOR MARKET-RENT PAYING TENANTS THAT ARE ALIGNED TO THE BUILDING'S NONPROFIT MISSION OF SUPPORTING UNDERSERVED SMALL BUSINESSES, DISCOUNTED RETAIL AND OFFICE SUITES FOR UNDER-SERVED SMALL BUSINESSES, MEETING AND TRAINING SPACES FOR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CLASSES, COWORKING SPACES FOR STARTUPS AND OTHER EMERGING ENTREPRENEURS, A RENTABLE COMMERCIAL KITCHEN FOR EMERGING FOOD BUSINESSES, AND MORE. MISSION ALIGNED TENANTS THAT COMPLETED THEIR BUILDOUTS AND OCCUPIED BY THE END OF 2023 INCLUDED WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WISCONSIN WOMEN'S BUSINESS INITIATIVE CORPORATION (WWBIC), SUMMIT CREDIT UNION, AND EXACT SCIENCES. THE URBAN LEAGUE ALSO CONTINUED BUILDING OUT AN ARRAY OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT WILL HELP THESE UNDER-SERVED ENTREPRENEURS LAUNCH, GROW, AND SUSTAIN THEIR BUSINESSES. URBAN LEAGUE CONTRACTED WITH GENER8TOR TO OPERATE GALPHA AND GBETA ACCELERATOR CLASSES THAT RANGED FROM 5 TO 7 WEEKS WITH NEARLY 30 DIFFERENT CURRENT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS PARTICIPATING. URBAN LEAGUE COLLABORATED WITH THE TOGETHER WE BUILD FUND TO PROVIDE COACHING AND OTHER TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO 5 COMPANIES THAT EACH RECEIVED $50,000 GRANTS IN 2022 TO HELP GROW THEIR BUSINESSES. URBAN LEAGUE IDENTIFIED 3 EMERGING BUSINESSES THAT ARE SEEKING TO ESTABLISH A STOREFRONT AT THE HUB. WE WORKED WITH THESE COMPANIES TO DESIGN A CUSTOMIZED SPACE IN THE HUB FOR THEIR BUSINESS AND PROVIDE THEM TRAINING, COACHING, AND RESOURCE CONNECTIONS TO LAUNCH AND GROW THEIR BUSINESSES. URBAN LEAGUE ALSO WORKED TO DEVELOP A MORE EXTENSIVE MENU OF PROGRAMMING AND IDENTIFY MORE BUSINESSES INTERESTED IN SPACE AT THE HUB TO PREPARE FOR 2024 WHEN A MORE SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE BUILDING WILL BE OPEN FOR OPERATION.

LEARN - THE URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER MADISON'S EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK IS COMPRISED OF PROGRAMS, ADVOCACY, PARTNERSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT CHILDREN IN GREATER MADISON SECURE THE EDUCATION NECESSARY TO THRIVE IN A TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY DEFINED BY CREATIVITY, SERVICE, AND INNOVATION. THE PROGRAMMATIC COMPONENT OF OUR FRAMEWORK INCLUDES INITIATIVES THAT ENHANCE AND SUPPORT STUDENTS' CORE LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN THE CLASSROOM. IN PARTICULAR, THESE INITIATIVES FOCUS ON SERVING SECONDARY SCHOOL AGE YOUTH THROUGH OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME LEARNING AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS, ACADEMIC TUTORING/COACHING PROGRAMS, CAREER AND COLLEGE EXPLORATION PROGRAMS, CULTURAL ENRICHMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS. OUR 2023 PROGRAMS INCLUDED: THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMIC TUTORING PROGRAM (701 YOUTH SERVED); THE 21ST CENTURY CAREERS COLLEGE, CAREER, AND EMPLOYMENT READINESS PROGRAM (155 YOUTH SERVED); THE MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. YOUTH DAY OF SERVICE (115 YOUTH SERVED); THE MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. OUTSTANDING YOUNG PERSON AND SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS BREAKFAST (271 SERVED); STEAM CAMP - SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS, MATH SUMMER CAMP (28 YOUTH SERVED); MY BROTHER'S KEEPER SPRING BREAK GAMING & CODING DAY (54 YOUTH).