You can now apply for a new opportunity for small business owners in the City of Madison who are seeking training, mentoring and networking opportunities to help their business innovate and succeed.

The City of Madison is partnering with the Madison Region Economic Partnership (MadREP) and AFF Research to launch the BizReady program – a comprehensive package of resources and activities specifically tailored to the diverse needs of Madison’s aspiring entrepreneurs and business professionals.

This resource is free for local business owners and is funded with $300,000 in American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds previously allocated to the City of Madison Economic Development Department’s Small Business Equity Recovery (SBER) program in July 2021.

The Madison City Council approved the creation of the program last summer and earlier this year confirmed the selection of MadREP as the city’s partner for the program. City staff have been working with MadREP since then to develop the program and prepare it for launch.

The BizReady program is modeled on the successful MarketReady program, which was launched in 2017 and provided training, technical assistance and help with business plans to prospective vendors at the Madison Public Market prior to the Public Market’s opening.

Applications for the BizReady program open Monday, August 26, 2024, and close Friday, September 13, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Interested business owners can apply online. If you have any questions, please contact AFF Research by email at [email protected] or by phone at 920-844-5006.

For additional resources and opportunities for local business owners, visit the Office of Business Resources website.