Small Business Program Expands in US, Extends Help For Veterans

By Sierra Campbell, Managing Editor of small.news

(small.news) — The Invest, Develop, Empower, Accelerate, and Scale (IDEAS) program has expanded to support veteran entrepreneurs and military spouses in the United States.

The IDEAS program, launched by Intuit and the National Urban League, offers financial technology as well as business coaching. The program started in Atlanta, Georgia; Los Angeles, California; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Small business owners who have participated in the program have reportedly seen an increase of 23% in revenue. They have also saved almost 17 hours each month. The Senior Vice President of Customer Success at Intuit, David Graham, said, “This unique and innovate business accelerator has helped Small Business Owners take their companies to new heights.”

The CEO and founder of Coffee Cart Boys, Emilio Daniel Vasquez, agreed with this, saying, “Intuit IDEAS was more than just a program—it transformed my life.”

Intuit IDEAS Program Expands to 6 US Cities

The IDEAS program is now available in Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York City; and San Diego, California.

The program wants to support an additional 250 small business owners by giving several of Intuit’s products, including QuickBooks and Mailchimp, to small business owners for free. Owners will also get business coaching from the National Urban League and Zella Life.

Small Business Owners to Receive Technology Grant Upon Completion

The IDEAS program will also offer qualified small business owners a technology grant for any hardware they need after completing the program, which lasts one year.

“The success and impact of Intuit IDEAS is undeniable,” the President and CEO of the National Urban League, Marc H. Morial, said.

Application Requirements for IDEAS Program

As a small business owner, you might have to show record-keeping documents as part of your application. You will also need to explain how your business is unique and, showing that you are dedicated to growing.

If you are interested in applying, you can do so on Intuit’s website.