Entrepreneurship
The Coleman Foundation leverages its leadership position to help transform the existing, disjointed Entrepreneurship ecosystem into one that thrives, is sustainable, and works for all Entrepreneurs across the greater Chicago region.
An investment to develop such a well-connected, vast network of organizations will help us remove the barriers to Entrepreneurship success — accessing education, capital, and business support services.
Click here for a full list of recent program grants.
About the Entrepreneurship Program
The Coleman Foundation has prioritized Entrepreneurship as a key program area since the 1980s, beginning with investments in colleges and universities to establish academic pathways to Entrepreneurship — coursework, degree tracts and student hubs which were previously unavailable to business school students.
Over the decades, the program has adapted alongside the ecosystem to meet present needs, expanding out of classrooms and into communities. Initiatives like the Entrepreneurship-In-Neighborhoods program have ensured Chicagoans at every income level can pursue Entrepreneurship.
In 2018, Coleman began supporting Business Support Organizations (BSOs - such as local business councils and community development corporations), that provide Entrepreneurship training, business coaching, and technical assistance for those who wish to start, scale, or grow a business.
The Coleman Foundation has long been a leading philanthropic partner in Entrepreneurship. Today, we leverage our position to strengthen the ecosystem.
The Coleman Foundation’s Approach
The 2020s have highlighted the importance of adaptability, and the Entrepreneurship ecosystem is not the same in 2025 as it was in 2018. Through surveying and listening to our grantee partners and their clients we understand the current barriers to success faced by entrepreneurs. We have learned how to best support organizations that serve entrepreneurs and the importance of our role as a convener in strengthening their networks.
Grantmaking
Our grantmaking supports organizations and institutions that play an important and active role in an ecosystem that includes nonprofits serving entrepreneurs, financial institutions, technology, academia, and local government.
The Foundation’s support allows these organizations to:
- Partner and engage in coalitions and alliances with other organizations
- Pilot innovative programs that address access to capital
- Advance tech-based, high-growth businesses within the Greater Chicago region
- Organize educational opportunities and resources for entrepreneurs in the region
Relationship Building
The Coleman Foundation complements its grantmaking by developing and maintaining strong relationships with partners in every facet of the region’s ecosystem, keeping the entrepreneur at the center of the work every step of the way.
The Foundation serves as a convener to connect grantee partners to each other as well as to government and financial institutions.
