More Recognition and Capital for Inner City Business

If you picked up a copy of this week’s magazine, I hope you caught our story and Michael Porter’s commentary about doing business in the inner city. The two pieces were pegged to this year’s Inner City 100, a ranking of fast-growing companies located in America’s inner cities. The annual roundup is compiled by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, a nonprofit Porter founded in 1994 to foster economic growth. (We also published an online special report in early May that includes a slide show with profiles of the top 25 companies in the 2010 ranking and video snapshots of a selection of 10 of them.)

What didn’t make it into our coverage was a mention of ICIC’s call for nominations for its 2011 ranking. So here goes: The nomination period is open now through the end of September. Private, for-profit companies in poor urban areas are encouraged to apply via this form on the ICIC website. More info about the ranking is available on this page.

In addition to the ranking, ICIC runs a financial education and capital matchmaking program called Inner City Capital Connections that is also looking for participants. Companies can apply using this form.

Both programs are free.

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