Inner City Capital Connections

About ICCC

Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) is a tuition-free executive leadership training program designed by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) to help business owners in under-resourced communities build capacity for sustainable growth in revenue, profitability, and employment. ICCC is uniquely designed to provide three critical elements for sustainable growth:

Capacity-building education
One-on-one coaching
Connections to capital and capital providers

Since 2005, our program has evolved to meet the changing needs of small business owners across the nation. We know that small businesses, especially those in under-resourced communities, will likely be hit the hardest by the COVID-19 crisis, and now, more than ever, are in need of capacity-building education, one-on-one coaching, and access to capital, fundamental components of the ICCC program.

As a result, ICCC is adjusting our curriculum to prioritize business recovery strategies, as well as sharing information about capital resources available to support small business owners as they recover from the coronavirus crisis. In addition, ICIC has created the Small Business Resource Center, which hosts a wide range of national and local resources aimed at supporting small businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I can’t wait to get back and start to reorganize and build structure for my employees and have a better customer satisfaction.”

Horchateria Rio Luna, 2017 ICCC Los Angeles Participant

From 2005-2018, 2,894 ICCC alumni have averaged 120% growth in revenue, raised $2.23 billion in capital, and created 21,390 jobs in their communities. Read more about ICCC’s regional and national impact in the recently published 2019 Impact Report and overview.

“This opportunity has put to mind all the things we have tried to accomplish but didn’t know how!”

Eggroll Café, 2017 ICCC Boston Participant

Where We’re Headed in 2020

ICCC is a national program offered in cities across the United States. All 2020 cohorts will be offered virtually, so even if you do not see your city, you can still participate. Click on the city closest to you to learn more!

Atlanta, GA	Inland Empire, CA
Baltimore, MD	Memphis, TN
Boston, MA	Philadelphia, PA
Central California, CA	Portland, OR
Chicago, IL	San Diego, CA
Denver, CO	Seattle, WA
Hartford, CT	Springfield & Western MA
Hawai’i	Washington, DC
Houston, TX

Program Structure

The ICCC Program is divided into four components designed to maximize the participant’s experience and accommodate their busy schedules.

Opening Seminar: Two virtual half-day sessions where top business professors present on critical business topics
Webinar Series: Virtual learning sessions to complement and deepen the learnings from the Opening Seminar
Individual Coaching: Individual coaching focused on creating and refining capital pitch and/or tackling general business challenges
National Conference: Culminating conference bringing together participants from across the country to continue their learning, sharpen their capital pitch, and connect with a growing network of growth-minded entrepreneurs and capital providers.

“This is a well-run program. The seminar was a great beginning to address my business needs, and I am extremely grateful to be a part of this initiative.”

Brown Farmer Media Group, 2018 ICCC Chicago

Eligibility

A business must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for participation in ICCC: *

Be an independent, for-profit or non-profit corporation, partnership or proprietorship.
Have its headquarters or more than 51% of its physical operations located in an economically-distressed area OR have more than 40% of employees residing in an economically-distressed area.
Be past the proof-of-concept stage
Have been in operation for two years or more. ICCC does not accept start-up companies.

*On a case-by-case basis, ICCC will consider businesses that do not meet all of the specified criteria on the recommendation of a nominator.

Do you know of any businesses that fit this profile? If so, NOMINATE them today encourage them to apply!

Does your business fit this profile? If so, APPLY today!

For questions regarding the nomination process or eligibility, contact us at (617) 238-3019 or iccc@icic.org.