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What's New at ICIC

What's Your Why?

To commemorate ICIC’s three decades of fostering economic growth and opportunity in underserved communities through groundbreaking research and programs, we are asking program participants, funders, nominators, and staff, “What’s Your Why?” Members of our ecosystem are responding by sharing what motivates them and how their “why” connects them to ICIC. These varied and impactful stories help us to reflect on our journey, fuel our mission, and shape our future.

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Supporting Small Business Growth

ICIC offers seven tuition-free development programs that serve small businesses throughout their lifecycle—from startup to succession. Learn more about how our programs can help your small business grow.

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Our 2023 Impact Report is Here!

We are delighted to present ICIC’s Annual Impact Report – which showcases transformational journeys and the grit and determination of small business owners. The work of ICIC is more than just a commitment; it is a dedication to creating jobs, income, and wealth for local residents in underserved communities throughout North America. Through this report, we reunite with entrepreneurs who are the heart of the small business community and reflect on their inspirational stories, which give us a renewed energy to execute our charge. As we unveil our yearly Impact Report, it is a moment to celebrate small businesses, often the unsung heroes of our economy.

Impact Report

Breaking the Glass Bottleneck

Grove Impact and ICIC released a first-of-its-kind report that documents the many constraints Black and Hispanic real estate developers face and demonstrates the enormous economic potential in removing these barriers. "Breaking the Glass Bottleneck: The Economic Potential of Black and Hispanic Real Estate Developers and the Constraints They Face" explores how catalyzing greater diversity in the real estate industry could address long standing inequities.

Read the Report New York Times Article Webinar Replay

The Economics of Land Usage in Saint Paul, Minnesota

Since 2022, ICIC has conducted research sponsored by the Saint Paul Port Authority to demonstrate the ongoing importance of light industrial uses to the city’s economy.

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The Authority on Inclusive Economic Prosperity

Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) drives inclusive economic prosperity in under-resourced communities through innovative research and programs to create jobs, income, and wealth for local residents.

Founded in 1994 by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter, the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City is a national nonprofit research and advisory organization and the leading authority on U.S. under-resourced economies and the businesses that thrive there.

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Learn More About ICIC

Work with ICIC

Underserved communities are rich with opportunity. We help business, government and philanthropic leaders leverage local assets to transform communities. Our research team has helped to shape economic development strategies in more than twenty inner cities.

ICIC delivers the knowledge and the know-how to achieve sustainable economic and job growth.

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Support ICIC

Whether supporting one of our high-impact urban business programs or the entire organization, our partners know they are choosing to support an organization dedicated to transforming inner cities across the country. Our partners include Bank of America, Chevron, Kaiser Permanente, various foundations and individual donors.

Learn how you can support ICIC’s work

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What is an Inner City?

Inner cities are distressed urban and suburban areas of concentrated poverty and low income. Inner city residents represent 14% of the population—that’s 45 million people. Of U.S. residents living in poverty, 31 percent live in inner cities.

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Events

04-04-24

ICAN California Small Business Mixers

Join ICIC’s Alumni Network in California for small business socials and Building for Growth Information Sessions.

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Blog

03-20-24

Building a Support Network: Entrepreneurs Gain Access to Free Resources through ICIC’s Inner City Alumni Network

ICIC

Feeling isolated is a sentiment shared by many small business owners. ICIC created the Inner City Alumni Network (ICAN) as a resource for small business owners to connect with each other for collaboration and moral support, to provide ongoing learning and professional development opportunities after completing a technical assistance program, and to aid in giving visibility and recognition to members. ICAN is a vibrant community comprised of 8,000+ alumni from the United States and Canada who have completed at least one of the seven small business technical assistance programs offered by ICIC. Connecting to an international community of small business owners is just the start of what ICAN offers its members. ICAN also offers access to educational resources, local chapters, steering committee membership, referrals to ecosystem partners, and priority invitations to new small business initiatives. Read More


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ICIC drives inclusive economic prosperity in under-resourced communities through innovative research and programs to create jobs, income, and wealth for local residents.

Contact

PO Box 191297
Roxbury MA 02119
Phone: 617-238-1740

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