Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Can Do Kalamazoo outlines expansion of entrepreneur hub, seeks $1.4 million to finish building
Summary
Can Do Kalamazoo told the Kalamazoo City Commission’s Committee of the Whole that its transition from a food-kitchen incubator to an inclusive entrepreneur hub has expanded services, reached more than 136 people last year and relies on grants and donors to close a $234,000 operating gap and a $1.4 million capital goal.
Can Do Kalamazoo, a nonprofit that began as a shared kitchen incubator, told the Kalamazoo City Commission’s Committee of the Whole on Aug. 18 that it has transitioned into a broader entrepreneur hub at 519 South Park Street and is raising $1.4 million to complete the remaining work on its building.
The hub’s director and founder, Lucy Dilley, told commissioners the organization expanded its scope in 2022 from serving primarily food businesses to supporting entrepreneurs in any industry, and opened a new facility in 2024 after a capital campaign and outside funding. “We set a 10 year goal to be the entrepreneur hub for the greater Kalamazoo area,” Dilley said.
Dilley described services now offered under one roof: co‑working space, meeting rooms, offices, an incubator kitchen and staff who make customized referrals to community partners. She said the hub continued specialized food support through its incubator kitchen and added services such as ServSafe exam proctoring, translation, workshops and twice‑yearly learning cohorts.
The presentation quantified recent reach and…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
