LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Greater Louisville Foundation has received a $10,000 grant from the Old National Bank Foundation. The funds will be directed towards outreach into underserved communities throughout Greater Louisville to communicate the entrepreneurial resources available through GLI’s EnterpriseCorp. The Greater Louisville Foundation supports the strategic initiatives of Greater Louisville Inc., the Metro Chamber of Commerce.
“It is our mission to foster vibrant, sustainable communities in a socially responsible manner,” said Thomas Elliott, senior vice president, Old National Bank. “Funding an effort to help small, innovative startups across our region is an important piece of making Louisville’s economy more equitable and exciting.”
The grant will be used to increase awareness in Louisville’s western and southern neighborhoods along with portions of Southern Indiana.
“Good ideas come from any and everywhere. We want entrepreneurs across the region to know about the available resources we provide to help them grow their business,” GLI VP of Entrepreneurship and Talent, Lisa Bajorinas, said. “This grant is a fantastic investment in making sure our city’s startup community continues to grow.”
EnterpriseCorp plans to work with community partners with strong presence in those communities to meet more entrepreneurs, get them engaged in the local startup community, and introduce them to the resources offered in the community.
“Studies have shown that a diverse and inclusive community simply does better. If we, as a city, are striving to have a vibrant economy that can attract, retain, and grow talent and great companies, then it is imperative and notable to see community partners, such as Old National Bank, focused on helping to grow small businesses in every location in the city of Louisville,” Tendai Charasika, CEO of SuperFanU said. “The future of Louisville depends on everyone working together and having access to the resources that are available to help them succeed.”
The funding will be used over the course of the 12 months to educate entrepreneurs on financing options to fund their startups through targeted outreach. EnterpriseCorp plans to expand its database of startups based in underserved areas and ensure those founders are meaningfully connected to Louisville’s thriving startup community. The goal is that more early-stage, local companies will be connected to capital funding through this program.
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