Health is everyone’s business. It’s going to take all of us to create a stronger, healthier future for everyone in America. The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) is proud to partner with Health Action Alliance to support the business community’s response to COVID-19. Read More

New research from the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City begins to integrate what are frequently treated as two separate policy initiatives: food waste and resilience planning. Read More

The City of Oakland believes in the work and the approach of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and we support the annual Inner City 100 Symposium as a great asset to showcase the importance of inner cities like Oakland’s. Read More

AI has the potential to transform how small businesses operate—but only if they have the right tools, knowledge, and support. That’s why ICIC and Intuit have joined forces to bridge the gap between AI and small business success through cutting-edge research and hands-on learning. Drawing on insights from ICIC’s nationwide study of more than 3,700 small and mid-market businesses, which identified key barriers and opportunities in AI adoption, the partners launched the Intuit More with AI Tour—a free, six-city series of half-day events offering practical, no-cost AI education. The tour has already visited Boulder, CO; Los Angeles, CA; Mountain View, CA; and New Haven, CT, with an additional stop in Arlington, TX planned for 2025. Read More

Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC), ICIC’s signature program for small business owners in the mid-stage of their growth, is thrilled to mark its fourth year in Canada in 2024, made possible by the generous support and partnership of the lead sponsor, Pizza Hut Canada, as part of YUM’s Unlocking Opportunity Initiative. At the heart of this initiative is the Equal Slice Program, a pivotal component offering participants the opportunity to vie for one of five $20,000 CAD grants designed to fuel the growth and scalability of their businesses. Equal Slice has provided a combined $300,000 in grants to small business owners since its inception, helping them build capacity for sustainable growth and resiliency. The 2023 grant winners include Akilah Newton of Big Dreamers, Carolina Foresti of Carolina's Brownies, Jaime Ward-Yassin of Hero Academy, Nancy Wingham of Nuez Acres, and Cynthia Sweeny of Simply Good Form Inc. This year, ICIC will present two Canada Cohorts—one conducted virtually and the other in person in Toronto, Ontario. The nation is home to 150 ICCC alumni, and since their participation in ICIC’s programs, they have achieved an outstanding average growth of 125% in revenue. This success underscores the impactful outcomes of the ICCC program, and the vital role played by Pizza Hut Canada in supporting the growth and resilience of small businesses across the country. Read More