A program financed by the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority (ECGRA) is helping African American entrepreneurs in Erie County. 

With funding provided by ECGRA, the Erie Urban Entrepreneurship Program is managed by Bridgeway Capital which helps entrepreneurs of color develop and launch businesses through its Erie Minority-Owned Business Accelerator (EMOBA).

EMOBA is designed to provide developing businesses a strong foundation to launch and grow. 

According to ECGRA officials, the Erie Urban Entrepreneur Program offers a streamlined process, including a loan checklist with more relaxed lending standards. Bridgeway markets directly to the community, launching the program out of Erie City Hall, to ensure potential business owners feel no barriers to entry. Bridgeway also provides credit counseling services to help borrowers boost their credit rating when necessary. 

Participants in the EMOBA program will engage in nine months of extensive mentoring and one-on-one tailored assistance focused on business planning and strategy development.

This will be the second group of entrepreneurs Bridgeway will welcome into EMOBA. 

"This program provides excellent opportunities for emerging and existing minority-owned businesses and truly addresses the barriers that many minority-owned businesses face when navigating entrepreneurship," said Cathryn P. Easterling, Director of the Bridgeway Capital Erie Office. "I look forward to working with these diverse businesses in the second Erie Minority-Owned Business Accelerator cohort and to see their maturation and impact within our region." 

Bridgeway has already received 35 applications for the EMOBA program set to begin in late August 2020.