National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship
Programs & initiatives
Programs \& initiatives
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In 2011, NACCE launched the *Presidents for Entrepreneurship Pledge* (*PFEP*), which encourages all community college presidents to endorse five commitments that will ensure that community colleges are involved in the national discussion about how to increase entrepreneurship. This initiative was inspired by the Obama White House's launch of Startup America, a program in which NACCE participated, along with the American Association of Community Colleges via a grant from the [Charles Stewart Mott Foundation](/wiki/Charles_Stewart_Mott_Foundation "Charles Stewart Mott Foundation") to fund a Virtual Incubation Network at community colleges.

In 2014, a quantitative research study that included responses from over 900 individuals, validated the effectiveness of the *PFEP* pledge with statistically significant relationships for the first four out of five commitments.

In 2017 NACCE started its nationwide communities of practice, enabling entrepreneurial practitioners and leaders to share best practices and thought leadership. In 2019, 400 participants attended the ESHIP Summit to network and share best practices for ecosystem building. In 2020, NACCE launched the Women in Entrepreneurship Center of Practice and the Global Entrepreneurship Center of Practice, bringing its total number of centers of practice to nine.

In 2021, NACCE represented community colleges in policy discussions at the White House, state governor's offices, the Small Business Administration, and in local communities across the United States.

The organization participates in a number of annual entrepreneurship celebrations, including National Entrepreneurship Week, Global Entrepreneurship Week, and other observances that bring together entrepreneurial ecosystems responsible for creating opportunity in local, national, and global communities.

NACCE and Verizon partnered in 2021 and launched "Verizon Small Business Digital Ready." The program offers businesses free support to enable digital readiness through customized curriculum, helping to offset the negative impact of the pandemic, which had a disproportionate impact on minority\-owned small businesses.

The "Entrepreneurial College of the Future" was also launched in 2022\. This led to the creation of a comprehensive, free database of innovative practices that can be shared nationwide.

NACCE hosted the "make/SHIFT Makerspace Summit," attracting attendees interested in learning more about making and makerspaces.


What were some key outcomes of the ESHIP Summit in 2019?