The City of Atlanta announced today that the Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative, in partnership with global financial empowerment leader, Operation HOPE, are joining together to equip aspiring women entrepreneurs with educational tools to jumpstart their business goals.   

Recognizing the need to fortify Atlanta’s rapidly growing community of women entrepreneurs with resources for the early stages of entrepreneurship, the two organizations will collaborate to offer a training program to Atlanta-area women interested in starting their own businesses. Using the success of Operation HOPE’s Project 5117 Entrepreneurial Development Training Program, participants can partake in an instructor-led, 12-week training course. This program is designed to address specific areas of opportunity for business plan improvement and business model refinement. Enrollees also receive consultative guidance to help them realize their business goals.   

Operation HOPE and WEI signed an official Memorandum of Understanding formalizing the partnership earlier in the summer, and are now preparing to extend complimentary enrollment to women business owners in Atlanta, including applicants to the 2015 WEI Incubator competition.

“This partnership reflects our mutual organizations’ commitment to providing aspiring woman entrepreneurs in our community with the resources they need today, to start and grow their businesses tomorrow,”said Theia Washington, Executive Director of WEI. “This invaluable partnership with Operation HOPE will enable the next wave of aspiring women entrepreneurs to pursue their business goals with the critical knowledge and insight they need for longevity and success.”

A vision of Mayor Kasim Reed, and advised by a seven-member advisory board chaired by Home Depot’s Chief Financial Officer, Carol Tomé, WEI aims to synergize entrepreneurial opportunities for women in Atlanta, with the City’s mission of elevating and strengthening its economic development efforts. Through a competitive process, fifteen women entrepreneurs will be selected to participate in an inaugural fifteen-month business incubator - a collaborative office environment designed to foster business growth and sustainability.

“We are pleased to partner on this important issue with the City of Atlanta for the Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative,” said Louis Negrón, President, Atlanta Market Region at Operation HOPE. "Helping women develop their entrepreneurship skills and translate vision into action not only empowers the women in the program, but their success helps strengthen economic stability and opportunity in communities where they reside.”