Southwest Louisiana Micro Enterprise Training Program
Building the Spirit of Entrepreneurship for People of Southwest Louisiana
Mission
The Mission of this TANF Micro Enterprise Training program is to provide outreach, technical assistance, support services, training, and access to credit to individuals with earned income levels below 200 percent of the federal poverty level for the purpose of preparing them to start and/or expand and operate their own business.
What is TANF?
TANF stands for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. TANF is a federally funded program through the Louisiana Department of Social Services and Louisiana Economic Development to the Southwest Louisiana Partnership for Economic Development.
Receive FREE Business Training
The TANF Micro Enterprise Training program is a joint initiative between the Louisiana Department of Economic Development and the Southwest Louisiana Partnership for Economic Development. This program is designed to offer high-quality assessment, practical training, follow-up counseling services and technical assistance in the Southwest Louisiana region of Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis Parishes for persons interested in starting a small business who meet the TANF criteria.
The Southwest Louisiana Partnership for Economic Development administers this program.
Do you want to increase your income, or earn extra money? Have you always wanted to run your own business? Have you always wanted to be your own boss? A two page form and four documents from you establish eligibility.
Who is Eligible for this Program?
This program is open to those individuals that meet TANF requirements for eligibility. To qualify for this program, you must be interested in starting and/or expanding your own small business, must have a dependent child age 18 or younger, and either earn less than 200% of the federal poverty level for your family size or your child(ren) receive some form of government assistance. Examples of qualified funding sources include: FITAP, KCSP, free/reduced lunch, food stamps, Medicaid, or LAChip. To apply for the program you must bring the original birth certificate(s) for your child(ren), a government issued picture identification card, a personal resume and either your most recent IRS Form 1040 or a letter from the agency assisting your child(ren).
If you Qualify for the Program— Once it is determined that you are eligible for TANF, you will be scheduled to determine the services that you need.
Three types of FREE training are offered in the program:
- Personal Effectiveness (10 hours of classroom and an average of 10 hours of self study)
- Economic Literacy (10 hours of classroom and an average of 10 hours of self study) Entrepreneurship Training (approximately 30 hours of class-room training and an average of 30 hours of self study).
Students must complete at least 75% of their scheduled training classes to be eligible for continuing technical assistance and counseling. Classes are held in the evening for those working during the day.
Southwest Louisiana Small & Emerging Business Program
Building the Spirit of Entrepreneurship for People of Southwest Louisiana
Mission
The Mission of this Program is to increase the viability and competitiveness of Louisiana’s Small and Emerging Businesses (SEBs) by providing business and technical training and assistance through the Small and Emerging Business Development Program.
The Small and Emerging Business Development Program is a joint initiative between the Louisiana Department of Economic Development and the Southwest Louisiana Partnership for Economic Development. This program is intended to offer at a nominal or reduced cost quality managerial and technical assistance to certified small and emerging businesses in the Southwest Louisiana region of Allen, Beauregard, Cameron, Calcasieu and Jefferson Davis Parishes.
The Southwest Louisiana Partnership for Economic Development administers this program.
What is a Small and Emerging Business?
A Small & Emerging Business (SEB) is a firm that is owned and controlled by one or more Small and Emerging Business persons and meets the requirements of small and emerging business. Eligibility requirements fall into two categories that apply to the individual owners and to the applicant’s firm. In order to continue participation in the Program, a firm and its individual owner(s) must continue to meet all eligibility requirements.
Who is Eligible for this Program?
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a citizen of United States of America
- Must have lived in the State of Louisiana for at least one (1) year
- Personal net worth of each owner must be less than $200,000 (excluding personal residence and retirement assets i.e., IRA, 401K, pensions, etc.)
- Owner(s) required to spend a minimum of 35 hours per week in the business to qualify for certification in this program
- The business net worth at time of application cannot exceed $750,000
- Business must be organized for profit (nonprofits are not eligible) with its principal place of business in Louisiana
If you become certified as a Small & Emerging Business, you are eligible for...
Once you become certified as a Small & Emerging Business enterprise, you will be scheduled for one or more assessments to determine the type of managerial or technical services that you need. IMPORTANT! Your business may be required to pay a nominal or percentage of the cost for the managerial or technical services.
Types of services available include (not all inclusive):
- Accounting
- Cash flow management
- Exports/imports
- Benefits planning
- Human Resources
- Inventory management
- Marketing material/website design
- Procurement government
- Legal services
- Small Business Bonding Assistance program to help acquire quality bid, performance and payment bonds.
Let us help you by preparing you to grow your own business. Contact
Justin McMillin for more information.
Southwest Louisiana Business Incubator
Mission:
To prepare our customers to become successful standalone businesses by providing quality facilities, training, and counseling.
The Business Incubator Center is an environment that supports young companies during their first years of business, which is the most vulnerable period of development. It’s a place where you can learn how to do business while you conduct business. Our mission is to provide a professional business environment with counseling and assistance to enhance the success of the businesses located here.
Location: Your office will be located in the Magnolia Building, 1011 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles, Louisiana
Monthly Rent: Single office suites starting at $150
As an Incubator tenant, you will receive:
- An office with basic furniture
- Use of conference room by appointment
- Counseling from McNeese Small Business Development Center
- Internet wireless connectivity
- Office cleaning service
- A sign with your logo in the Incubator Lobby
- Copying and faxing services on a fee basis
- One on-site uncovered parking space and additional parking across the street at the Lake Charles Civic Center
Access to building is 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday thru Friday
Admission Requirements:
- Your company must be a small business from the five parishes of Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron or Jefferson Davis
- Submit a comprehensive business plan for the Business Incubator Management Committee’s approval
- Complete a formal admission application and attach a $25 non-refundable application fee
Business Incubator of SWLA is a coalition of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, The City of Lake Charles, IMCAL, The Chamber Foundation/SWLA, SOWELA Technical Community College, McNeese Small Business Development Center, and The SWLA Partnership for Economic Development, and is managed by the SWLA Partnership for Economic Development. Contact
George Swift for more information.
