Project GATE:  Growing America Through

Entrepreneurship

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao has initiated this innovative demonstration project, The Growing America Through Entrepreneurship, or Project GATE, with Administrator Hector Barreto of the U. S. Small Business Administration to help emerging entrepreneurs in rural and urban communities achieve the American dream of owning their own business.  Economic freedom is the foundation for individual success and prosperity.  Project GATE supports economic freedom through promoting individual entrepreneurship.  Project GATE seeks to energize local small business creation and help diverse urban and rural populations create, support and expand small businesses by:

ü      Teaming Department of Labor training and assistance programs with Small Business Administration (SBA) loans;

ü      Partnering with faith-based and community based organizations, ethnic organizations, and local community businesses in extensive community outreach efforts;

ü      Providing nine million dollars ($9,000,000) in funding over five (5) years to support two urban and four rural project sites in the states of Pennsylvania, Maine, and Minnesota.

Project Components and Sites

This project will leverage existing initiatives into one easy-to-access and comprehensive program.  U. S. Department of Labor One-Stop Centers will be the focal point for Program GATE including:

§         General and specialized business development and training programs  

§         Micro loans through the SBA micro loan program 

§         Assigned business counselor to provide individual business counseling sessions

§         Individual training accounts and needs-based payments established by the U. S. Department of Labor’s Workforce Investment Act

§         Services to assist limited English proficiency participants

Project Timeline

§         Toll free information number, 1-866-677-GATE (Operational August 29, 2002)

§         Community outreach efforts to commence in October 2002

§         Site specific project designs, based upon community needs, to be provided between November 2002 and February 2003   

§         Candidate Screening begins March 2003

§         Project will be fully implemented at all sites by July 1, 2003      

Additional Information

Since August 29^th, individuals interested in obtaining additional information on how to participate in Project GATE may call toll free 1-866-677-GATE (4283).