Funding
Organizations
Funding for
The Edge Connection is provided through the generous support
of the following organizations.
Coles College of Business, Kennesaw State University
The Michael J. Coles College
of Business at Kennesaw State University offers a vibrant,
high quality, real-world learning experience unlike any
other. Its diverse programs, international experience,
technological focus, centers of academic excellence,
thriving corporate partnerships, and adventurous curriculum
prepare students for today's rapidly changing business
world.
Website:
http://coles.kennesaw.edu
United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta
United Way is a
volunteer-led, volunteer-driven organization representing
its entire region. From the board of directors to fund
raising volunteers and the thousands of others who lend a
hand each year, volunteer leaders ensure United Way
continues to help metro Atlanta make impact on the issues
that matter most.
Website:
www.unitedwayatlanta.org
Mary
Reynolds Babcock Foundation
The Mary Reynolds Babcock
Foundation concentrates on assisting people in the Southeast
to build just and caring communities that nurture people,
spur enterprise, bridge differences, foster fairness, and
promote civility.
Website: www.mrbf.org
U.S. Small
Business Administration Women's Business Center Program
The Women's Business Center,
administered by the SBA's Office of Women's Business
Ownership (OWBO), provides female entrepreneurs with the
resources they need to start and grow a business. Each site
is required to match a portion of the federal funds with
private contributions, and services are tailored to the
community in which the WBC is located.
Website: http://www.sba.gov/
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
Cobb County and City of
Marietta
The Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) program works to ensure decent affordable
housing for all, to provide services to the most vulnerable
in our communities, and to create jobs and expand business
opportunities. CDBG is an important resource to help local
governments tackle the most serious challenges facing their
communities. The CDBG program has made a difference in the
lives of millions of people living in communities all across
the Nation.
Website:
www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/programs/cdbg.cfm
Wachovia Corporation
Wachovia Corporation is a
diversified financial services company headquartered in
Charlotte, North Carolina that provides a broad range of
banking, asset management, wealth management, and corporate
and investment banking products and services. With over
85,000 employees, they are able to serve banking, brokerage,
and corporate customers primarily on the East Coast, as well
as through investment banking offices in selected locations.
The company also has full-service retail brokerage offices
that serve customers under the Wachovia Securities name in
49 states and Washington, D.C. Global services are provided
through 32 international offices.
Website:
www.wachovia.com
Cbeyond
Communications
Cbeyond is a privately-held
Atlanta-based provider of voice and broadband Internet
services exclusively serving small businesses. Cbeyond's
local, long distance and Internet packages, anytime account
management, and industry-first VoIP (voice over Internet
protocol) platform give small businesses the communication
tools that big businesses enjoy - at an affordable price.
Cbeyond has generously sponsored the Cbeyond Innovators
Award, which provides select The Edge Connection
clients with one free year of telecommunications services to
support the growth of their businesses.
Website: www.cbeyond.net
Georgia
Department of Human Resources
The Georgia Department of
Human Resources (DHR) runs programs that control the spread
of disease, enable older people to live at home longer,
prevent children from developing lifelong disabilities,
train single parents to find and hold jobs, and help people
with mental or physical disabilities to live and work in
their communities. Our funding from DHR is received through
the
Georgia Micro Enterprise Network
(GMEN).
Website:
http://dhr.georgia.gov
Hewlett-Packard Foundation
The Edge Connection
was selected as a 2004 HP Microenterprise Development Grant
recipient and was awarded a generous gift of equipment and
funding. Through the Hewlett Packard Foundation award The
Edge Connection created a 6-station, in-house
computer resource center and a 19-station technology
training lab. HP is committed to making the social and
economic benefits of the digital age accessible to all
people through its "e-inclusion" strategy. "e-inclusion" is HP's vision of a future in which all people can use
technology as a means to learn, work and thrive. HP supports
and partners with non-profit organizations by providing the
technology resources, tools and solutions to creatively
address important issues in underserved communities.
Website: www.hp.com
and
http://grants.hp.com/us/programs/micro_index.html
Ewing
Marion Kauffman Foundation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman
Foundation is an operating and grant making foundation that
works toward the vision of self-sufficient people in healthy
communities. Its mission is to research and identify
unfulfilled needs of society and to develop, implement
and/or fund breakthrough solutions that have a lasting
impact and offer people a choice and hope for the future.
Website: www.emkf.org
Cisco
Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is the worldwide leader in networking
for the Internet. Cisco hardware, software, and service
offerings are used to create Internet solutions that allow
individuals, companies, and countries to increase
productivity, improve customer satisfaction, and strengthen
competitive advantage.
Website: www.cisco.com
The
Allstate Foundation
The Allstate Foundation,
funded by contributions from subsidiaries of The Allstate
Corporation, invests millions of dollars each year in United
States programs. Their three major areas of focus are: safe and
vital communities; economic empowerment; and tolerance,
inclusion and diversity. The Allstate Foundation understands
and supports the vital link between economic empowerment and
community development.
Website:
http://www.allstate.com/Community
Ms.
Foundation for Women
The Ms. Foundation Collaborative Fund Women's Economic
Development launched its fourth round of funding in February
2006 focusing its learning and support on a strategic issue
within the enterprise development field. The overarching
theme of the fourth round is to promote sustainability – of
women’s businesses, of enterprise development organizations,
and of the field. This round of funding is made possible by
Citigroup Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Linked
Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation and The Ms. Foundation.
The Edge Connection is proud to be one of six
entrepreneurial development agencies in the nation to
receive this funding.
Website: http://www.ms.foundation.org/
Denmark {the agency}
Founded in 1986 Denmark {the
agency} is a full-service advertising & communications
agency offering a range of advertising, branding and public
relations. Denmark has developed innovative marketing
solutions for a range of national and regional clients
including Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Kroger, Cbeyond
Communications, Hitachi and Pulte Homes.
Website:
www.denmarktheagency.com
DHL Express (USA), Inc.
In partnership with AEO, DHL Express (USA), Inc. has created
two new programs designed to support low- to moderate-income
microentrepreneurs in communities where DHL has a
significant corporate/employee presence. The Edge
Connection, a recipient of the DHL Advancing
Micro-Entrepreneurs Program, received equity grants and
shipping service grants to ten micro clients. The grants
included gratis shipping service, discount national and
international shipping services, and $1,000 for each client
to enhance marketing of their businesses. For additional
information visit the AEO website:
www.microenterpriseworks.org/
Cobb County
Community Services Board
The Life Skills for State
and Local Prisoners Program is made possible through a grant
from the U.S. Department of Education. Cobb County Community
Services Board in partnership with the Cobb County Sheriff’s
office is administering the grant and has contracted The
Edge Connection to deliver microenterprise training as an
integral part of the program.
Washington
Mutual Foundation
Washington Mutual's
charitable giving program is a broad, community-based
program focused on multiple needs and issues, with specific
emphasis on affordable housing and community development and
education. Washington Mutual committed $375 billion to our
low- to moderate-income communities from 2002 though 2012.
These funds will provide loans and other financial support
to communities consisting predominantly of people of color,
to residents of low- to moderate-income census tracts, and
to people whose income is below 80 percent of median
income.
Website: http://www.wamu.com/about/community/
State Street Foundation
State Street makes effective and
socially responsible corporate contributions to nonprofit
and charitable organizations that provide community service
initiatives, primarily in communities where State Street
offices are located. Their Global Philanthropy program is
focused on three primary areas of emphasis: Human Services;
Educational Programs; and Community Improvement and
Development. The program is designed to help generate and
sustain positive change in our communities, while
complementing the development of our worldwide business
operations. State Street Foundation places special emphasis
on initiatives that seek to bring about systemic changes
that address core problems affecting a local community.
Website:
www.statestreet.com
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Inc.
The Community Foundation for Greater
Atlanta is a creative, cost-effective and tax-efficient way
for people to invest in our community. We help donors and
their families meet their charitable goals by educating them
on critical issues and by matching them with organizations
that serve their interests. By working with donors and the
community, we improve the quality of life for residents in
our region.
Website: www.atlcf.org
The Atlanta Women’s Foundation
The Atlanta Women’s Foundation is one
of the most respected women’s foundations in the country
with a unique position in our community. AWF exists to
promote nothing less than a significant transformation in
the lives of women and girls. Each year, AWF raise and
distribute more than $1 million to organizations addressing
the unique needs of women and girls which enables them to
learn, to compete, to achieve, to be safe, secure and
healthy, and to realize their dreams. We educate and empower
hundreds of women leaders. We build on a model of powerful
advocacy and public education. And we work with local, state
and national leaders in ground breaking collaborative
efforts.
Website:
www.atlantawomen.org
The Lockheed Martin
Aeronautics Employees’ Reaching Out Club (LM AERO Club)
The LM AERO Club
gives Aeronautics employees the opportunity to donate to
charitable organizations through a single channel using
payroll deduction. In addition to helping these agencies,
employees can contribute to an emergency relief fund that
helps coworkers in times of crisis.
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