• Increase business ownership and business expansion among small businesses, with special emphasis on SEDI, minority group members, women, veterans, and those that operate in distressed and highly distressed communities; • Connect small businesses to relevant New York State, federal, municipal, or local programs and resources; • Provide technical assistance to small businesses to develop business strategies for outreach and consumption, maintain revenue and retain employees, with special emphasis on SEDI, minority and women-owned firms; • Provide one-on-one counseling at least one evening per week to accommodate participants who do not have the availability during standard working hours; • Provide a minimum of two (2) business plan training cohorts employing the Business Model Canvas / Lean LaunchPad (BMC/LLP) curriculum; • Facilitate the creation/retention of private sector jobs; • Increase access to financing by SEDI, minorities, women, veteran owned firms; and • Significantly expand sales among SEDI, minority, women, and veteran owned firms
