Entrepreneurship for All, Inc. (EforAll) Longmont is empowering more Coloradans to be entrepreneurs. The organization offers free small business training programs in English and Spanish, specifically designed for small business owners from underserved communities.
After three months of classes, participants have the skills to operate websites they use to sell products and/or services, allowing them to grow the potential of their business. The program provides would-be entrepreneurs with the business know-how and digital skills to successfully launch and sustain small businesses. Digital tools and platforms utilized throughout the course include Google and Microsoft products, Zoom, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Canva, website builders and more.
Many of our participants struggle to afford their basic needs, which is a challenge as they work to gain economic self-sufficiency,” said Caroline Hafele, executive director of EforAll Longmont. “We recognize that entrepreneurship can transform lives and help those in Colorado live above the poverty line. Our program is directly targeting that.”
EforAll is among more than 150 organizations Comcast supports in Colorado to uplift diverse communities and provide equitable access to technology and the economic mobility that it brings. In 2022, grant awards from the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation totaling $533,500 will support digital equity programs at 25 organizations across the state. The foundation grants are just one of the year-round ways Comcast invests in local communities. Over the last three years, Comcast invested more than $42.6 million in cash and in-kind donations to Colorado nonprofits.
“Partnering with and supporting local community organizations in Colorado helps them fulfill and serve their missions and unlock a future of unlimited possibilities,” said Leslie Oliver, Senior Director of Media and External Communications at Comcast. “We’re proud to support these organizations because one of our goals is to help advance economic mobility, and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators.
Eligible nonprofits were selected for funding in three grant categories, including equipment access, basic digital literacy skills and digital navigation.
The Comcast Foundation is supporting us in our effort to break down barriers to business ownership,” said Hafele. “This grant is helping us offer lending computers to those who do not have a laptop and would like to be a part of our classes, as well as computer training before classes begin.”
Other grant winners include:
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance: STREAM Technical Theatre Program:
Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Arts and Media
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance’s STREAM Technical Theatre program serves youth ages 14-20 from Denver Public Schools and low-income metro Denver communities. Participants learn to utilize innovative digital technology and demonstrate independent work that may include video production, robotics, lighting and more.
Girls Incorporated of Metro Denver: Eureka! program
Girls Incorporated of Metro Denver’s Eureka! program engages girls ages 12-18 to build their excitement and knowledge around education and careers in STEM and technology-related fields. Each year, 30 girls begin a five-year journey through the program, beginning the summer before eighth grade and continuing through high school.
As these organizations work to bridge the opportunity gap in the technology industry for Coloradans, Comcast is working to minimize the digital divide. For more than a decade, Comcast has offered the largest and most comprehensive internet adoption program, Internet Essentials, providing low-cost, high-speed internet to households that qualify, along with subsidized computers and access to digital skills training. Through the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program, eligible households can receive Internet Essentials service for free.