IGNITE ALABAMA

IGNITE!s vision is to disrupt the current order, eliminating effects from deep rooted systemic barriers experienced by southern Black Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, and Nonprofit Leaders. Creating a world where black leaders are no longer forced to work in perpetual scarcity just because of their race, creed, or class. Truly unleashing a “new era of business growth, hiring, and wealth.”

Our goals are to:
 Engage 2000 Black Businesses, Entrepreneurs, and Nonprofit Leaders
 Ensure 500 receive DBIA Direct Services to include Success Advocate Case Management, IBAP Checklist, Referrals, etc.
 Ensure 1000 people receive Business Technology/Digital Literacy Training, Support, and Technical Assistance
 Ensure 1500 participate in Technical Assistance Workshops (virtual and/or in-person)

Utilizing a custom designed salesforce system that assesses businesses, develops “Individualized Business Action Plans,” IGNITE! DBIA makes referrals to an ecosystem of 50+ statewide partner agencies best equipped to provide immediate assistance relevant to participants current/most pressing needs. Other key methods used to execute include:
Case Management:
 Forensic Financial Analysis (Triage) via Salesforce System
 Individualized Business Action Plan (Action Steps)
 Success Advocates (Technical Assistance and Accountability)

C-Suite Minority Youth Training Program
Youth Workforce Development Training Program that creates a robust pool of High School and HBCU interns to provide SEDI’s professional services needed to complete fundamental action items like business plans, budgets, profit & loss statements, etc.

Monthly Workshops (Virtual and In-Person)
Capacity Building Technical Assistance, Workshops and/or Events with topics including Accounting, Business Plans, Business Technology / Digital Literacy Connect (BTDL Connect,) Financial Literacy, HR, Legal, Management Training, Marketing, Minority Certifications, Payroll, Social Media, Workforce Development, etc.

DBIA Coordinated Incubator and/or Industry Specific Accelerators
Equipped with lessons learned, this year, we will provide coordinated incubators, “industry specific” accelerators, pitch competitions, intensive services, technical assistance, and supportive networks to SEDI-owned Businesses so they can access capital needed to start, stabilize, or scale.

Coordinated Curriculums are co-designed & presented by ecosystem members to serve businesses as follows:
 Start-up Business from idea to up to 2 years in operation.
 Micro-Business 3+ years in operation: Start-up curriculum BUT presented with intention not to deflate, as they aren’t technically new because they’ve been literally operating, but fiscally and on paper they don’t exist
 Legacy which are Business Owner 50+ yrs. old and/or Family Business: Micro-Business curriculum, estate planning education, support, & tech assistance
 Stabilize and Sustain Business Owners that have completed the basic start-up curriculum and/or are 3+ years, local business that don’t desire to grow outside of the city and/or State
 Scale which are Business Owners who desire to Grow & Scale and/or have a High Growth Potential

Direct One-on-One Technical Assistance:
 C-Suite Interns
 Financial Coach
 Legal Services
 Mental Health and Emotional Wellness

Events:
 Business Technology / Digital Literacy Connect Community Symposiums (Quarterly)
 Contract Opportunities for Minorities Symposium (February)
 Empowerment Summit (October)
 Business Vision Board Workshop (November)

Grainne McNamara once said, "problems and solutions are found in the same place."

Founded and led by a black woman, along with a majority black Board and Staff; IGNITE!s work proves it, as our programming has undeniably helped move the needle forward more impactfully for the Alabama Black Business Community over the last two years; than what has been seen in over the last two decades.

However, the need IS great, and there is MUCH MORE to be done! As of 924 Birmingham Black Businesses engaged to date:
 804 are Micro Businesses with revenue of $100k or less
o With an astounding 441 of Micro Businesses with revenues of $10k or less
 117 are Small Businesses with revenue of $500k or less
 20 are Medium Businesses with revenue of more than $500k

A “need” that drives IGNITE!s commitment to:
 Recruit "Igniting Possibilities" Corporate Partners to afford Program Participants the opportunity to perfect their services and/or product, and increase revenue
 Develop and pilot a C-Suite Minority Youth Training and Workforce Development Program designed to equip interns (High School & HBCU Students) to help businesses with tasks like writing Business Plans, Social Media, Budgets, etc.
 Work with local CDFI’s and Financial Institutions to help increase Black Entrepreneurs credit scores, as well as provide technical assistance needed to complete SSBCI applications, and other funding opportunities they choose to seek.

A significant “need” that validates without IGNITE!s innovative and creative solutions we continue to develop; Black Business Owners from under-represented communities are truly doomed before they start, because of a present reality shaped by an exhausting long history of racial discrimination and systemic inequality.

It is also important to note that with a bachelor’s degree from Samford University, over 18 years of Executive Level Grants Management, 25 years of Resource & Partnership Development resulting in over $24 million dollars of funding and/or direct services to date, Program Development, Event Planning, and Project Management; Torin is a black woman with a proven and dedicated career of promoting economic equality and advancement among disadvantaged populations throughout the Southeast!

In 2021, thanks to a seed grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, local funders, and 50+ other Ecosystem Member Agencies that provide services including accounting/tax technical assistance, business planning, financial planning, legal services, marketing, sales, websites, and wealth strategies; IGNITE! launched our flagship “Doing Business in Alabama”(DBIA) Minority Business Training Pilot Project. A project that provides consistent programming to lessen stress, frustration, and burdens of these populations, to include:
 Triaged over 2,100 Black Alabama-Based Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, and
Nonprofit Leaders
 Provided direct services and Case Management to over 800 program participants
 Hosted virtual programs with over 65,000 views

Our work has resulted in Black Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, and Nonprofits receiving:
 $3+ Million Dollars in Loans
 94 Contract Awards
 $169k+ in Grant Funding

IGNITE!s exclusive and proprietary Salesforce data set secured Birmingham Alabama's spot in the Southern Communities Initiative as we were the ONLY AGENCY able to provide critical data needed to create a baseline; securing Birmingham part of the national $2.5 Billion Dollar Investment.

Last but not least, due to our consistency and accomplishments since 2019, our team was also able to advocate and secure an unprecedented $500k in non-dilutive cash deployed to 25 Alabama Black Owned Businesses.