Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Education Center Opens at LaGuardia Community College

In 2014, New York State awarded LaGCC a $5 million grant to build the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Education Center. The award is part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Economic Development Fund’s New York CUNY 2020 awards, a $55 million per year capital funding initiative that funds economic development projects in the CUNY network. LaGCC was one of eight colleges that received an award in the first round, after a competitive application and review process.

To celebrate the landmark opening of the education center, alumni of the program in New York were joined by special guests, including Goldman Sachs Chairman Lloyd Blankfein, President of LaGCC Dr. Gail Mellow and Howard Zemsky, President and CEO, Empire State Development for a roundtable conversation and ribbon cutting ceremony.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses launched in 2010 at LaGuardia Community College in order to support local entrepreneurs who have demonstrated a commitment to growing their businesses and creating jobs within their communities. Described by program participants as a “mini-MBA,” the program provides training in business development, capital building, contract negotiation, systems management, team building, and more. With support from the Goldman Sachs Foundation, there is no cost for eligible business owners to participate in Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses.

“10,000 Small Businesses is proud to be part of such an important cross-sector partnership, which is critically important to drive long-term changes in our communities, especially right here in New York,” said Katherine Jollon Colsher, a Goldman Sachs managing director and head of the 10,000 Small Businesses program.

Based on the success of the program at LaGuardia Community College, which now has helped more than 800 business owners, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses expanded the program to reach businesses in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.