ALBANY — In an effort to continue boosting small businesses amid a challenging economic landscape, the Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region has unveiled its first Business Planning Course of 2023.
Community members can sign up for the nine-week program. It will run from 9 a.m. to noon via Zoom on Saturdays from Jan. 21 to March 18. The program’s goal is to equip local entrepreneurs with the fundamental planning concepts and tools needed to develop or grow their businesses.
“Our nine-week Business Planning Course continues to adapt to the needs and demands of small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs across the Capital Region,” said Linda MacFarlane, CLF executive director, in a statement.
Classes will be offered in conjunction with the STEAM Garden, but will be held on Zoom. Students will also have the new option of paying for the course entirely online to help attract more individuals outside of the Albany area who previously would have had to drive to the city to pay for the class.
Tuition is $275, which includes access to exclusive content on the Community Loan Fund’s “Eduprenuer” platform as well as free online training courses with customized business development content provided in partnership with JPMorgan Chase. Participants also receive downloadable class materials such as links to video lessons, handouts and slide decks to be used at any time, accommodating the small businesses’ different paces of development.
The class is made up of nine sequential three-hour sessions instructed by community experts covering topics including business planning, legal formation, intellectual property, commercial real estate, market research, website development, cash flow projections and financial management.
“From securing commercial real estate space, legal issues with your business and establishing a presence on social media; our nine-week Business Planning Course offers something for everyone,” MacFarlane added.
While the course has been around for more than two decades, the newly unveiled version has an added goal of sustaining and building the region’s small businesses in the post-COVID economy. And in addition to a newfound knowledge of paramount business concepts, graduates of the program also have access to one-on-one assistance from CLF staff to help with entrepreneurial projects.
Those interested in the course can register or view a syllabus here. Scholarships may be available for individuals with low-to-moderate income through the help of the organization’s sponsors.
