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Mary Alice Shipp nonprofit asks Dougherty County for startup support for youth entrepreneurs program
Summary
Mary Alice Shipp Community Development Corporation director Fidelity Griffin described a youth entrepreneurs program serving ages 12–24, sought startup funding and outlined revenue and program components; commissioners asked staff to review materials and suggested grant/partnership options.
Fidelity Griffin, director of the Mary Alice Shipp Community Development Corporation, asked Dougherty County commissioners on April 21 for startup assistance to support an expanded Young Entrepreneurs Society (Y.E.S.) program in Albany.
Griffin said the organization has acquired a building (the Greater Grace Building, formerly a daycare) and plans a multiroom program for youth and young adults aged 12 to 24 that will combine academics, job-readiness training and business experience. "We have an academic center, a craft room, a retail center and a business center," Griffin told the commission. She said students would work in duplicate businesses, earn stipends, and learn both job and business skills.
Griffin told commissioners the program began in February 2009 and that prior implementations in other cities saw positive outcomes. She estimated that an online business component could generate about $250,000 a year and that small retail enterprises might begin at roughly $35,000–$40,000 annually; she said those estimates would support stipends for participating youth. Griffin asked the commission for start-up money but did not state a specific dollar amount during the presentation.
Commissioners praised the program’s goals but emphasized the need for an accountable application process. Commissioner Greg said there is a clear education gap and that county support should be subject to a vetted grant process. Vice Chair Jones offered to share materials from a prior Kauffman Foundation–supported program (the Y.E.S. Mini Society) and asked the clerk to circulate relevant information to Griffin.
Griffin identified organizational leadership: Nathaniel Newton (chair), Frederick Muhammad (secretary) and Alice Laurier (role not specified in meeting remarks). She said the group has letters of support from Sylvester’s mayor and from program alumni, and she invited commissioners to follow up after they had time to review the materials provided by her staff.
Action taken: Commissioners did not vote to provide funding at the meeting. The board accepted Griffin’s presentation and asked staff and the clerk to distribute the submitted package for review; commissioners said they would return the request to the board for consideration after review and possible questions.
Why it matters: Commissioners said programs that pair business skills with academic supports can reduce youth involvement in crime and improve job readiness. Several commissioners encouraged Griffin to pursue external funding partners and suggested that the county consider creating a formal grant-application process with vetting, reporting and impact measures for future funding requests.
What’s next: The clerk will distribute Griffin’s materials to commissioners and staff; Griffin and commissioners agreed to follow up individually to discuss potential partnerships with foundations and training partners.
Quote: "We show them how you could turn your hustle into a reality," Griffin said of the program’s approach to financial and employment training.
No formal vote or appropriation was made at the meeting.
