North Hennepin Community College (NHCC) recently announced that it will launch a new entrepreneurship program next month called “Entrepreneurship: Communities of Color” (ECC).

ECC, which launch October 7, specializes in minority-owned businesses and focuses on the removal of cultural barriers to entrepreneur success.

The 13-week evening certificate program is designed for prospective and already active entrepreneurs who want to learn more about sustaining and/or growing their businesses. Coursework will cover a broad range of basic topics such as business writing, financing, marketing, and technology.

The program will initially cost $99 but the price may fluctuate depending on the program's success.

In addition, the program will offer connections to business development assistance, as well as multiple support services through program partners-including the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers, the Metropolitan Economic Development Association, Northside Economic Opportunity Network, the Northwest Area Human Services Council, the City of Brooklyn Park, and Dunwoody College.

“We didn't want to offer an entrepreneurship program that participants can receive anywhere else,” Nerita Hughes, ECC program chair, said in a statement. “The ECC program addresses the basic and practical skills that many entrepreneurs lack and emphasizes the use of technology and business communication. What's more is NHCC has community partnerships throughout the metro area that participants can connect with.”

NHCC will host a pre-launch event called “Advancing Innovation/Building New Entrepreneurs” on September 13th at its Brooklyn Park campus. The pre-launch event will provide more information about the ECC program and will feature a diverse panel of successful local entrepreneurs.

NHCC is among Minnesota's largest community and technical schools based on the number of students served, which totaled 7,445 in fall 2009.

-Melissa Loth