At a joint press conference this morning, the Urban League of Greater Madison (ULGM) and Ascendium announced a $2.5 million donation from the philanthropic organization for the Black Business Hub project, taking the total raised so far for the project over $24 million toward the $26 million goal.
The Hub is designed to empower and equip small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs with access to financial resources, business planning, technical assistance mentorship and coaching, educational programs, and more to foster a Black-led community of entrepreneurship and economic equity.
In 2009, Ascendium made a similar donation to ULGM that helped push the organization toward its fundraising goal to expand its programming and relocate to south Madison. In the intervening years, Ascendium has supported career readiness and internship opportunities for youth, ACT preparation programming, the annual Economic Development and Diversity Conference, and more. Last year, Ascendium made a $250,000 donation to help ULGM expand and enhance its adult employment programs for commercial driver’s licenses and renewable energy jobs.
