Statements
Mission
Corner to Corner is a community-led nonprofit, co-creating meaningful economic growth with historically underestimated Nashvillians through knowledge, tools, and networks.
Background
In 2011, Corner to Corner began as a grass-roots organization when our cofounders moved into an East Nashville neighborhood. As Will and Tiffany looked for ways to know and care for their neighbors, they began building relationships through the local rec center. They invested time in these neighbors by offering a jobs readiness class for formerly incarcerated individuals. The program participants would go on to find employment, but still struggled to keep up with the cost of living in a city that was rapidly growing. Their creative and talented neighbors would tap into a side hustle to close the gap between what they could earn and what they needed to earn. That's why we launched The Academy in 2016. This ten-week program helps neighbors turn their side hustle into a revenue-generating tool that sustains their families and their communities.
A few years later, we saw program graduates finding a stride with their business growth but still struggling to understand key business concepts and remain competitive in the Nashville marketplace. That's why we launched the Alumni Programs. This suite of programming supports entrepreneurs continued growth by helping them tap into targeted learning opportunities ranging from B2B mentorships to Pricing Strategy Workshops.
Our programs shift and change as we grow in our knowledge and understanding of the historical and current economic disadvantages of our community. A median Black family has one tenth the wealth of a median white family, with a downward rate of economic mobility. This has a negative impact on all Americancommunities, especially here in Nashville. That's why we remain committed to co-creating economic participation for underestimated Nsahvlians. This isn't about "us" or "them." We believe it's "we."
Impact
On November 14th, over 2,000 neighbors gathered at Nashville's Municipal Auditorium for graduation. Like every other Academy graduation, it was an event full of celebration. There was food, dancing, and amazing pitches. But something set it apart. We weren't just celebrating 149 new entrepreneurs entering the marketplace of Nashville. We crossed the 1,000th graduate line!
For this cohort of The Academy, most (83%) identify as female and 95% identify as Black or African American. In partnership with behavioral scientists from Vanderbilt University, we used a pre/post survey to measure the effect of the course on participants. Before taking the course, 28% of participants agreed that they were comfortable with their financial future; at the end of the course, 63% reported feeling comfortable (35% increase). There was also a notable increase in participants' understanding of the necessary tools to become an entrepreneur. At the beginning of the course, 30% agreed they had the necessary tools compared with 64% after taking the course. In addition, participants improved their stated confidence with understanding essential elements to start a business. These entrepreneurs join the 1000+ alumni who are continuing to learn and grow their business through additional learning and networking opportunities. under the alumni of Alumni Programming.
On our recent "beta version" of an alumni survey, we checked in with 50 randomly selected alumni to learn more about their continued growth. On average, they have annual revenue of $33,000! This is $7,000 MORE than the Small Business Administration's reported average for unincorporated small businesses.
To learn more about the work of these (and other) entrepreneurs, take a look out our annual report (https://cornertocorner.org/annual-report-2023/)
Needs
Funding to support expansion of current programming and ongoing logistics
Entrepreneurs and local business leaders who will serve as guest speakers and mentors for students & graduates of The Academy
Corporate Sponsors
Various stakeholders who are eager to see minority entrepreneurs thrive in & around Nashville
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Community Improvement, Capacity Building - Economic Development |
| Secondary Category: | Community Improvement, Capacity Building - Small Business Development |
| Tertiary Category: | Religion- Related - Christianity |
Areas Served
Our programs target Nashville neighbors throughout Nashville and Davidson County. For recent cohorts, the majority of participants have lived in County Districts 3, 14, 9, 12 and 11. Recent Location Partners - who host Academy classes in their community-based locations - have included the Southeast Community Center, The Branch of Nashville, and KreateHub.
We are exploring partnerships with locations and entrepreneurs in communities near Nashville including Clarksville and Murfreesboro.
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Montgomery |
