The Social Enterprise Greenhouse is expanding its physical presence to better serve entrepreneurs in other parts of the state.
The Providence-based organization announced last week that it will open satellite offices in Newport and one in the Pawtucket and Central Falls area. The Newport Office will be located at the new coworking hub Innovate Newport at 513 Broadway, while the office location for Central Falls and Pawtucket is still being worked out. SEG will eventually hire two program directors to run the satellite offices.
The expansion is being made possible by a $257,000 grant SEG received in December 2018 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, with the intent to offer programming to more entrepreneurs and businesses.
In year one, SEG is hoping to recruit 30 new volunteer coaches and advisors from the satellite communities that will help develop and execute programs based on needs.
“We’re really open to ideas and suggestions for how we can connect with other people in the communities that we will be expanding to."
The organization’s larger goal is to serve 50 entrepreneurs and businesses from the satellite locations, as well as plan a number of events such as hackathons and pitch events to bring together stakeholders in the entrepreneurial community.
“The goal is to more actively reach out to entrepreneurs in these communities and connect them to our existing services,” SEG CEO Kelly Ramirez told Rhode Island Inno. “As we learn about needs in the communities, we will develop new services and have some programming in these communities.”
The expansion will also look to specifically target entrepreneurs located in the Ocean State’s 25 designated opportunity zones.
Created by the U.S. Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017, opportunity zones provide incentives for economic investment in low-income communities throughout the country by giving investors favorable tax treatment on their capital gains.
“Although Rhode Island has experienced significant growth and positive momentum in its entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem in the past several years, the activity has largely focused on certain Providence urban areas,” said SEG Communications Director Crystal Rosatti. “SEG aims to develop a statewide innovation ecosystem that leverages the small size of the state and its cohesive networks and accessibility, and responds to current demographics and trends to fully maximize the potential of entrepreneurship and innovation in the state.”
Launched roughly a decade ago, SEG is a network of enterprises, businesses and community leaders who contribute time, expertise and funding to grow Rhode Island’s social impact ecosystem. The nonprofit, which is funded mainly by grants, offers a three week incubator, a three month accelerator and coworking space, among other programs and services.
Since launching, the organization has reached over 500 entrepreneurs and businesses to date. Those ventures have created positive social impact for 1 million individuals by improving access to educational opportunities, training and employment, healthcare, financial services, healthy food, basic human needs, affordable housing and a safe and healthy environment.
In each regional satellite location, SEG will first seek to assess and understand the existing resources and tools available to entrepreneurs and business owners, and then develop additional services to fill the gaps.
Rosatti said SEG is still trying to figure out the best space for an office in Central Falls and Pawtucket, but that the organization may end finding a few different places they can use on different days of the week.
Right now, though, SEG is focused on connecting with existing stakeholders in each community.
“We’re really open to ideas and suggestions for how we can connect with other people in the communities that we will be expanding to,” said Rosatti. “We want to go in with the intent to complement what is already going on and what’s available to entrepreneurs so we do not duplicate what already exists. The more we know the better.”
