SPOKANE, Wash. — A new program is empowering Spokanites who come from low-income families to plan, set up and grow their own small businesses.
Catholic Charities Eastern Washington (CCEW), in partnership with Gonzaga University, is launching the Spokane Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Network (SEEN).
The program will offer hands-on training, mentorship and consulting to aspiring entrepreneurs, with a focus on small-scale businesses like housekeeping, pet care, skilled trades and landscaping.
The first program members will be those living within Catholic Charities housing communities and Spokane’s Logan neighborhood, with the goal of eventually expanding to the broader community.
“Starting with a foundation of housing and services provided by Catholic Charities, and with the assistance of Gonzaga University students and professors, low-income citizens will continue their journey out of intergenerational poverty by starting their own small business and achieving self-sufficiency,” reads a press release about the program.
Graduates of the program will receive four months of mentorship through Gonzaga’s Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program and will work with GU students to learn skills in marketing, graphic design, accounting and business best practices.
The first six-session entrepreneurship bootcamp will begin Saturday, September 6.
There is a $500 fee, but significant scholarships are available for eligible participants.
For more information and to apply, visit www.spokaneseen.org.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.