White House Announces Startup America Partnership

Carl Schramm, left, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, is introduced by Steve Case, chairman of the Case Foundation, at the launch of a national campaign called Startup America.

"America's story has been forged in large part by entrepreneurs who have, against great odds, created innovative products and services that have changed the world — and created millions of jobs," said Steve Case. "Our nation once again looks to these creative risk-takers to unleash the next wave of American innovation, and I am pleased that President Obama has made supporting and celebrating entrepreneurs a major priority of his economic strategy. I am honored to chair the Startup America Partnership, and look forward to working with the White House to champion the creation of new start-ups, and help accelerate the growth of speed-ups."

Chairman Steve Case, AOL, and founding member Carl Schramm, CEO, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation seem to have hit-the-floor running, that’s admirable.

Where I would like to immediately weigh-in is to provide heavy recommendations that start with the entire Alliance being familiarized extensively with the crises at the neighborhood-level of rural and urban areas being stifled and crushed by Concentrated Poverty. More importantly, how they can “welcome” the hidden talent, DIAMONDS in the Rough, at the neighborhood-level that are deprived of start-up and R & D capital scaffolding which allows necessary tooling of resources that promotes capacity-building, re-cycling, environmental changes with self-neighborhood sustainability. This means that the Startup America Partnership must conduct due diligence in understanding these stakeholders and how best to tap into this hidden talent.

Chairman Case and his Alliance members should go in with the mindset that the funding brings a NEW paradigm for changes that are:
• Infrastructural (acquisition of funds directly to entrepreneur, no local government distribution agent – distribution partnership with selected neighborhood agent that is selected by and accountable to the people at the neighborhood level).

• Building TRUST through Respect (neighborhood strategic planning, buy-in, decision making and participation of recipients).

• Open to NEW thresholds that cut through bureaucracy and promote quick access to funds, start-ups and neighborhood-level businesses drown due to slow/no “capital flow”.

• Inclusive of Coaches-Trainers-Mentors-Sponsors, but decision making by the entrepreneurs.

• Linked to government funded schools for 2-, 4-year, graduate and certificated attainment.

• Technology-based for local to global growth.

• Linked to public school highest education for community-assisted projects for interns and graduates development.

• Vetted through best practices, transparency, customer care, and accountability (PRE-, INTERIM and POST-EVALUATIONS by selected neighborhood agent).

This is where the “critical mass” of wealth-building and innovation for this country lies. It is the BOTTOM-UP economy. These different stick-to-it, some family-oriented, cultural-sensitive, citizenship focused, incubator and home-grown entrepreneurs are waiting to partner, waiting to engage in neighborhood organizing for buy-in and massive growth. They are waiting to develop their idea – They may be skeptical but given a chance, they will hit triples and want look back. It is at the neighborhood-level that the most mileage can be made for the $millions being offered.

These are the folk that have been left behind. These are the folk between ground level and 30,000 ft up. These are the next Middle Class if cultivated. They are the glue to President Obama’s Call to Service, Start-up America Partnership and the national challenge for education and technology attainment. Did I say these are African Americans, other People of Color and the Work-Challenged (un-, under-employed and re-entry employees, especially those returning from incarceration)? Did I say they are primarily for-profit businesses. Did I say that laws need to be created, updated, monitored, transparent and accountable?

Allow the learning curve for both the Alliance as well as those they serve.
Good Luck.

These are Mary Glass comments to today's, February 1, 2011, PHILANTHROPY NEWS DIGEST.

To see article and comments, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=324700007