Los Angeles Community Entrepreneurship Initiative (LACEI)

The Los Angeles Community Entrepreneurship Initiative (LACEI) is a special program based upon the belief that entrepreneurship can, and should, play a role in poverty alleviation. To address this challenge, the University of Notre Dame in 2020 launched the Urban Poverty and Business Initiative (UPBI). As the 7th chapter to launch the UPBI, we will offer an 11-month program from February to December dedicated to the alleviation of poverty through business ownership.

Our overarching objectives with the LACEI initiative are to:

– Leverage university and community resources to help create new for-profit and non-profit ventures owned by those facing economic and other disadvantages;

– Assist existing small businesses owners who suffer from disadvantages in helping their businesses become sustainable and in growing;

– Work with those in adverse circumstances on the development of both the person as an entrepreneur and the business as a successful venture;

– Identify and share best practices in poverty alleviation through entrepreneurship;

– Measure and track the development and performance of entrepreneurs and their ventures based

on program participation;

– Celebrate the entrepreneurial achievements of those facing adversity.