FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUBA CITY, NAVAJO NATION — The Change Labs business incubator is accepting applications for its 2020 cohort from now until February 19, 2020. The business incubator will select 10 high-potential Native American entrepreneurs for a 12-month program designed to launch or accelerate small business startups. Applications must be submitted online by the February 19, 2020 deadline.
Successful applicants must be ready to undergo intensive training and work with a professional business coach to set and achieve business goals. Over the course of the program, entrepreneurs will:
- Strengthen their business and financial models
- Develop appropriate branding and marketing collateral
- Receive hands-on training in accounting, financial reporting, tax preparation, and business registration
- Become eligible for a micro-loan. Change Labs will offer micro-loans up to $10,000 exclusively to graduates of the program.
Successful applicants will join a growing entrepreneurial community at Change Labs that includes dozens of successful business owners from construction to tourism to art and design. The business incubator is designed to immerse the entrepreneur in the resources needed to get from idea to obtaining startup funds in 12 months. The 2020 cohort will have access to mentorship and a group of like-minded and driven peers.
“Change Labs is here to meet the real wants and needs of business owners who are taking the initiative to be the change they wish to see in their communities,” said Change Labs Executive Director Heather Fleming.
“Our entrepreneurs are truly change-makers, enthusiastic and driven to succeed against the odds,” said Director of Business Incubation Jessica Stago. “They identify real needs and gaps in tribal communities and they find creative ways to fill them. A strong small business community is key to a nation’s economic success, and nowhere is this more true than the Navajo Nation.”
Details about eligibility and a link to the online application can be found here.
The Grand Canyon Trust is proud to partner with Change Labs to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams and build a strong, resilient, and culturally respectful economy across Native America.
