In 2016, 12 of the nation’s most innovative incubators and accelerators were awarded funding from JPMorgan Chase’s Small Business Forward initiative to support their growth and the growth of the small businesses they support. In sectors ranging from food to clean energy to water technology, the grant recipients are moving the needle in terms of job and wealth creation in over 10 cities in 8 states. Read More

Food hubs are a vehicle used to strengthen local agriculture while making healthy and affordable food available to more communities. Several cities have seen that food hubs can also mobilize multiple aspects of the food industry, and in turn help get the wheels of local economies moving. Read More

An encouraging revitalization of Birmingham, Alabama is happening, spurred by an unintended consequence of industrial collapse. As in many other cities during the 1970s and ‘80s, industrial and manufacturing jobs moved out of the urban core and took residents along with them. Read More

On November 16-17^th Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC), one of ICIC’s Urban Business Initiatives, held its annual culminating conference at Columbia University in New York City. ICCC helps firms achieve sustained growth through education and training, while increasing the flow of capital to urban businesses and underserved communities. In the last session of the conference, graduates put their ICCC education to work by pitching to potential capital providers. Read More

In April the MacArthur Foundation, Chicago Community Trust (CCT), and the Calvert Foundation announced Benefit Chicago, an innovative collaboration that aims to mobilize $100 million in impact investments for nonprofits and social enterprises in Chicago. Read More