The Greater Cincinnati Microenterprise Initiative(GCMI) is a nonprofit organization and small business support agency that promotes self-sufficiency and economic development among low- to moderate-income individuals. GCMI provides entrepreneurial training and business classes, business coaching and technical assistance, and access to capital to help individuals start or expand a small business.
GCMI Programs
Entrepreneurial Training Academy (ETA): 12-week course on business basics and writing a business plan.
Open Doors ETA – (Ex-offenders): 16-week ETA course (currently conducted at the Lebanon Correctional Institution) with added classes to address some of the specific issues that face clients as they re-enter back into society.
Business Coaching/Technical Assistance: One-on-one counseling and guidance.
Business Plan Evaluations: Business Coaches can review your business plan, critique, and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.
Business Assessment Evaluations: Business Coaches can review your business, including financials, and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.
Business Education Classes: A variety of courses are offered, such as Quick Books, Cash Flow Analysis, Financial Education, and Marketing Your Product.
Individual Development Account (IDA): A savings account program that matches each dollar you deposit to help you reach your financial goals of raising your credit score or purchasing a vehicle.
GCMIElite: Three-month training program providing supportive business services to both potential and current business owners, including accounting, marketing, and information technology coaching.
Eligibility
There are no eligibility requirements for GCMI. However, the programs operate on a sliding pay scale based upon total household members and household income. To qualify for a GCMI program you must supply the following:
Proof of total household income (Federal Income Tax Return, Income Verification of Public Assistance, Unemployment, Social Security, etc.)
Verification of the total number of members in your household (Federal Income Tax Return)
For more information, please email or call us at 513.569.4816 x 2428, or visit us on the web at www.gcmi.org.
GCMI's Individual Development Account (IDA) program and GCMI Elite are funded by
the Ohio Department of Development and the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
