Buffalo, NY –The Women’s Business Center (WBC) at Canisius University is set to expand its support for entrepreneurs in Western New York. The expansion comes courtesy of a new, three-year, $173,000 grant from New York State, which has designated the WBC as one of its elite Entrepreneurship Assistance Centers (EAC). The WBC will utilize the funding to enhance its technical assistance and support services for individuals interested in starting their own business or seeking to broaden and strengthen their business. The funding will similarly support more successful NYS minority and women-owned business enterprises’ (M/WBE) certification application submissions.
“The Women’s Business is Center is honored to receive such generous support from New York State,” says Sara Vescio, executive director of the WBC. “Women and minorities are starting businesses at a faster rate than ever before, creating a greater demand for our assistance. With this funding, the WBC will be able to evolve into a more impactful center, empowering women and fostering economic growth for our area.”
The WBC’s strategic plan for the new funding includes expanding its team and services. This growth will enhance the center’s ability to engage with clients and foster deeper relationships with them throughout the life of their business. Additionally, it will enable the WBC to improve its small group programs, allowing facilitators and mentors to offer more robust coursework and guest speakers with statewide expertise.
“The WBC looks forward to the new opportunities the funding will provide by enhancing our ability to adapt and respond to the real-time needs of our clients,” adds Vescio. “Having a flexible, client-centric approach is crucial to our mission and instrumental to our success of effectively supporting entrepreneurs.”
The Women’s Business Center serves more than 300 clients each year. In 2023, it saw the most diverse cohort to date where approximately 40 percent of business owners self-identified as Black, Indigenous or Persons of Color (BIPOC). The center’s influence is further evident in the launch of 20 new businesses in 2023, with an aggregate revenue generation of $33 million and the creation or retention of 170 jobs.
“The Women’s Business Center has built a strong foundation over the past 20 years of inclusive programming, cohort group programs, online programming and one-on-one mentorship,” says New York State Senator Sean M. Ryan (61st District). “It is a crucial community partner and this support will enable the WBC to further expand its outreach and impact, grow its legacy of supporting women and minority entrepreneurs, and elevate the regional economy.”
Established in 2003 with the generous support of a five-year, $750,000 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the WBC has served as a central pillar of support for women entrepreneurs throughout the eight counties of Western New York (WNY). The center’s strategic partnership with Canisius’ Richard J. Wehle School of Business enables it to offer unparalleled academic resources, professional counseling and a robust mentoring program in such areas as entrepreneurship, business development, finance and marketing.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
