City grants $20K to Opportunity DeKalb for local entrepreneurs

DeKALB – The city of DeKalb is looking to amplify its impact on the community by arming Opportunity DeKalb with more resources to train and support residents of the Annie Glidden North neighborhood as social entrepreneurs.

The city has allocated $20,000 through the the DeKalb County Community Foundation’s DeKalb County Economic Development Grant program, which ends on Dec. 31, 2024, city documents show.

“Here we are several years later, we’re approaching the deadline, and we have a very viable use for that money,” City Manager Bill Nicklas said.

In November 2023, the city granted $125,000 to Opportunity DeKalb to help with getting the Breakthrough Community Business Academy off the ground.

Opportunity DeKalb executive director Chad Glover said the business academy is off to a great start.

The first cohort started earlier this month with 10 participants, he said.

“We know based on the interest we can sustain this in the future,” Glover said. “The city’s leadership has been really critical in supporting us. We know that we’ll be very competitive for state and federal grants and philanthropy. But one of things that those grantmakers look at is what kind of sustained local financial support do you have before they’re willing to issue those funds.

First Ward Alderwoman Carolyn Zasada questioned the value of what participants are getting from a 12-week course.

Glover said the marketplace estimate of the experience that participants are getting is valued at $3,000.

“One of the most important things for us as an organization was to make this accessible to people in our community,” Glover said. “One way we’re doing that is we’re committed that at least 75% of each cohort will be from low-to-moderate income backgrounds in terms of what our local definition is of that. ... We charged a one-time $50 fee for people to participate and that $50 will go toward putting on a graduation ceremony at the end of the cohort.”

Fifth Ward Alderman Andre Powell said that as an entrepreneur, he appreciates Glover and the Opportunity DeKalb Board’s effort to invest in the Annie Glidden North neighborhood.

“More programs like this is needed to support a self-sufficient individual,” Powell said. “I think it’s a great program.”