Sec. 32-290. Financial assistance for entrepreneurial development of low-income persons. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 32-290. Financial assistance for entrepreneurial development of low-income persons. (a) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, in consultation with the Commissioner of Social Services, shall establish a three-year demonstration program of financial assistance for the entrepreneurial development of persons having incomes below the federal poverty level.

      (b) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall solicit applications from nonprofit and for-profit entities for the operation of such program. Applicants shall indicate how they would (1) work with Department of Social Services regional offices, social services providers, municipal economic development agencies established under section 7-136 and business outreach centers described in section 32-9qq and (2) arrange for business start-up capital for participants of the entrepreneurial program. The commissioner shall enter into a contract with, and provide a grant to, a qualified applicant having a demonstrated ability in the entrepreneurial training of low-income persons.

      (c) The grantee shall undertake the following tasks: (1) Recruit participants for the entrepreneurial program, who shall primarily be clients of the temporary family assistance program, displaced homemakers and dislocated workers, (2) provide orientation concerning the program to such participants, (3) assist the participants in assessing their entrepreneurial strengths and weaknesses, and (4) provide the participants with (A) training in business planning, financial management and marketing, (B) support groups, individual business counseling and ongoing support and (C) access to start-up capital.

      (d) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, in consultation with the Commissioner of Social Services, shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to carry out the purposes of this section.

      (P.A. 92-236, S. 40, 48; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-382, S. 16, 69; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 99, 165.)

      History: P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-382 deleted former Subsec. (d) re program evaluation and reports and relettered former Subsec. (e) as (d), effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 amended Subsec. (c) to replace reference to aid to families with dependent children with temporary family assistance, effective July 1, 1997.