Olive-Harvey College awarded grant from NACCE to support future entrepreneurs

CHICAGO— Olive-Harvey College is excited to share it has been awarded a $5,000 Level 1 implementation grant from the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) to launch the Everyday Entrepreneur Program (EEP) through its newly established Evolve Entrepreneurial Hub (The Hub).

“The Evolve Entrepreneurial Hub was built to foster small business development and unlock generational wealth right here in our community,” said Dr. Kimberly Hollingsworth, president of Olive-Harvey College. “We are excited to partner with NACCE because it allows us to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools, funding, and structural support our communities need to succeed in today’s economy.”

This critical resource and funding will expand access to entrepreneurship education, business development support, and funding opportunities for both students and South Side community members.

“At Olive-Harvey College, we believe entrepreneurship is a powerful vehicle for economic mobility, wealth creation, and community transformation of Chicago’s South Side.” said Dr. Brandon Nichols, senior vice president of Academic Affairs.

The Everyday Entrepreneur Program is a national initiative designed to help community colleges move local business ideas from concept to thriving enterprises.

As a Level 1 participant, Olive-Harvey College receives an entrepreneurship curriculum, program toolkits, and ongoing technical assistance from NACCE through The Hub. This model allows The Hub to rapidly deploy new programming and host an upcoming campus-based pitch competition, which “will support the colleges‘ 2026 – 2030 economic responsiveness goal across multiple academic and career pathways,” said Dr. Truman Hudson, Jr., executive director of Workforce Empowerment Initiatives.

To further accelerate business skill development, participants will gain integrated access to the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Portal. This no cost platform provides advanced business training courses, professional mentorship, peer networking, and additional grant opportunities that complement the EEP curriculum. The program will begin with its first cohort in March 2027.

Media contact: Veronica Resa, vresa1@ccc.edu

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About Olive-Harvey College

Olive-Harvey College is the Center of Excellence in Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics (TDL) – one of the region’s fastest growing industry segments. The curriculum focuses on key modes of transportation such as in air, rail and road and includes career pathways that range from cyber tech to aviation tech, CDL, and so much more. Olive-Harvey College is located at 10001 South Woodlawn Avenue and serves thousands of students annually in their pursuit of a certificate, degree, Illinois High School Diploma or learning English as a second language.

About NACCE

The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) is North America’s leading organization for advancing entrepreneurship education through community colleges, representing over hundreds of institutions and serving thousands of aspiring business owners nationwide.