Congratulations to the Gwinnett County Public Library (GCPL) on receiving the prestigious Top Innovator award for 2024 from the Urban Libraries Council (ULC), North America’s leading nonprofit organization for urban libraries. This honor recognizes GCPL’s New Start Entrepreneurship Incubator (NSEI), a groundbreaking program that provides business training and mentorship to formerly incarcerated individuals.
Launched with funding from an American Library Association (ALA) grant in partnership with Google, NSEI is a six-month program designed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to launch their own businesses. The program specifically supports Georgia’s reentry population, which disproportionately includes minority groups and people of color.
Participants attend monthly in-person classes led by small business experts on topics such as branding, financial management and business plan development. To ensure accessibility, GCPL provides free laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots to those in need. In addition to completing online coursework, participants receive one-on-one guidance from volunteer mentors and support from a social worker. To date, 35 individuals have graduated from the program.
“I’ve seen the life of each person who goes through this program change profoundly and significantly. We believe that people deserve a second chance,” said Charles Pace, executive director of the GCPL.
The program culminates with Launchpad, an event where graduates pitch their business ideas to local business leaders. Top pitches receive seed money, with $8,000 awarded so far through the GCPL Foundation.
GCPL’s NSEI program was recognized with the Top Innovator Award in the Workforce and Economic Development category for its originality, measurable outcomes and potential to be replicated by other libraries across the nation.
