Copy of ELEVATE Cohort V Application

Hello Applicant:

The Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED) and George Washington University, School of Business (GWSB) are accepting applications for the Cohort V of the ELEVATE (Executive Leadership Education Venture Advancing Talented Entrepreneurs). This program's cohort is exclusively focused on helping local Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) more effectively and efficiently manage their business' products and services and increase revenue and employment.

All eligible applicants are required to upload their photo and submit a short 3-5 minute video to complete their application. The deadline to submit your application is Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

If you need assistance please contact us at elevate@cnhed.org.

Thank you!

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* 1. First and last name

First name

Last name

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* 2. Name of business

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* 3. Check all of the affiliations or certifications that apply.

Certified Business Enterprise (CBE)

Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)

HUBZone

8(a) Business Development

Small Business Enterprise (SBE)

Veteran-owned Small Business (VOSB)

Women Business Enterprise (WBE)

Women-owned Small Business (WOSB)

B-Corp

Other affiliations or certifications

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 4. Please upload your photo that we can use for promotional purposes (i.e. file type such as png. jpg or jpeg)

PNG, JPG, JPEG file types only.

Choose File

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* 5. All applicants are required to submit one short, 3-5 minute video responding to the four (4) questions below. Please give us access to view your video.

A. Describe a personal achievement that has had a significant impact on your business.
Describe a challenge your business has or is currently facing operating in the green economy.
What is the long-term aspiration for your business?
D. How can the Elevate program help you design, build and grow your business?

Please copy and paste the YouTube URL to your video in the space provided.

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* 6. Please indicate what are the most important (Top 3) knowledge, skills and abilities you need to grow your business’s products and services.

Business model

Cashflow management

Change management (i.e. strategy for dealing with change)

Contracting and procurement (i.e. insurance and bonding, responding to RFPs)

Financing strategies for growth

Human management capital

Leadership and management

Legal and licensing

Networking and relationship building

Marketing

Presentation skills

Pricing and contract negotiation

Research and development (products and services)

Risk management

Social media strategies

Supply chain management

Strategic alliances and joint ventures

Other (please specify)

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* 7. Do you currently have a board of advisors?

Yes

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* 8. What percentage of your business sales reflects your contracting and procurement client base? Please fill in the percent below (e.g. 25% local government, 75% consumer).

Consumer

Federal government

Local government

Private sector (i.e. anchor institutions and corporations)

Total (must equal 100%)

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* 9. Which of the following “back office” functions do you have in-house or contract out?

	In-house	Contract Out
Accounting	Accounting In-house	Accounting Contract Out
Human Resources	Human Resources In-house	Human Resources Contract Out
Information and Technology	Information and Technology In-house	Information and Technology Contract Out
Legal	Legal In-house	Legal Contract Out
Marketing	Marketing In-house	Marketing Contract Out
Online billing system	Online billing system In-house	Online billing system Contract Out
Project management	Project management In-house	Project management Contract Out
Sourcing	Sourcing In-house	Sourcing Contract Out
Procurement	Procurement In-house	Procurement Contract Out

Other (please specify)

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* 10. Gender

Female

Male

Transgender

Nonbinary

Prefer not to respond

(please specify)

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* 11. Contact information, email address and social media

Business mailing address

Business email address

Business phone number

Business website

Cellphone number

X (formerly Twitter)

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* 12. Where is your business headquartered?

District of Columbia

Maryland

Virginia

Other (please specify)

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* 13. Ward business is located in the District of Columbia

Ward 1

Ward 2

Ward 3

Ward 4

Ward 5

Ward 6

Ward 7

Ward 8

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* 14. Industry certifications

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)

Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)

SAP Certified Application Associate—CRM

Other (please specify)

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* 15. Education level

2-year college

4-year college

Graduate school

Professional certification

Other

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* 16. Years owning your business

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* 17. Annual revenue for 2022, 2023 and 2024

Revenue for 2022

Revenue for 2023

Revenue for 2024

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* 18. Industry

Real estate and construction

Healthcare and life sciences (medical)

Hospitality and tourism

Media and communications

Professional services (i.e. architecture, facilities management, financial)

Retail

Information and Technology

Energy Sustainability

Other

Other (please specify)

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* 19. Business structure

Sole Proprietorship

Partnership

Limited Liability Partnership

Limited Liability Corp

S-Corp

C-Corporation

Cooperative

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* 20. Number of employees in 2023 and 2024

Full-time in 2023

Part-time in 2023

Contractors in 2023

Full-time in 2024

Part-time in 2024

Contractors in 2024

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* 21. Please provide the contact information of two current business references

Name of First Reference

Business

Phone

Name of Second Reference

Business

Phone

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* 22. How did you learn about ELEVATE?

Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council

DC Community Anchor Partnership (DCAP)

LEDC

WACIF

DC SBDC (Howard University)

CNHED

ELEVATE Graduate

Department of Small and Local Business Development

George Washington University School of Business

Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development

Other (please specify)