ECD Announces Competitive Grant Opportunity for Jobs4TN Regional Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program
Applications for Nine Regional Accelerators Accepted Through Sept. 30th
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty today announced that the department is accepting applications for a competitive grant to support nine regional business accelerators across the state. Interested parties are encouraged to file a letter of intent with the department by Sept. 6th at 5 p.m. CST; applications are due Sept. 30th at 5 p.m., CST.
“We are excited to launch our competitive grant process for the Jobs4TN Regional Entrepreneurial Accelerators and see this as the next step in spurring innovation across the state,” Hagerty said. “Our department has just completed a very successful RFI process in preparation for the program and is ready to move forward in establishing an accelerator in each of the nine economic development regions to create a more robust entrepreneurial system in the state.”
The grants will award $250,000 to a regional entrepreneurial accelerator in each economic development region. An information session on the grant opportunity will be held Thursday, Sept. 1st at the Tennessee Tower in Nashville. To RSVP for the session, please send your name, organization and the names of those attending to ECD.Innovation@tn.gov. More information on the session will be sent to you at that time.
The Jobs4TN Regional Entrepreneurial Accelerators were announced in June as a part of Governor Bill Haslam’s INCITE plan The INCITE initiative is designed to drive innovation across the state. Tennessee has partnered with Startup America to form Startup Tennessee, which will form a network of the business accelerators across the state and provide mentoring to entrepreneurs.
Applications and additional information is available online now at www.tn.gov/ecd. All questions should be directed to ECD.Innovation@tn.gov.
About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to develop strategies which help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. To find out more, go to www.tn.gov/ecd.
###
Contact: Valerie Somerville, ECD
Office: (615) 532-1925
Email: Valerie.Somerville@tn.gov