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System for Integrated Growth

The "CEO Next Business Institute 2021" and the System for Integrated Growth Program (the "Program") are administered by the Edward Lowe Foundation as a service to your local economic development or business assistance organization.

1. CEO Next Minnesota State Data Practices Notification

Certain information collected by this form is considered private or nonpublic data under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. The Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) is collecting this information to match entrepreneurs with services and to better understand who is using this service. The HRA will use the information to improve service delivery to business owners. You are not legally required to provide information and may refuse to complete this form, but we cannot provide assistance under this program without it. If you opt to not provide the requested information your application may be denied; there are no other consequences associated with a refusal to provide the requested information. The following persons with a business reason to know may access the information you provide: HRA and Hennepin County employees, and program delivery partners, including the Edward Lowe Foundation and their employees and contractors, Minneapolis Business Mentors, and our partner agency employees at Ramsey, Dakota, Carver, and Scott Counties. All data will be handled in compliance with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.

2. Eligibility

Companies interested in participating in the Program must meet certain minimum qualifications of second-stage companies. Specifically, in order to be considered for selection as a participant in the Program, an enterprise must meet the following criteria at the time of selection:
  1. Be a for-profit, privately held company headquartered and operating in .
  2. Have generally between $1 million and $50 million in annual revenue.
  3. Employ generally 10 to 99 full-time equivalent W-2 employees, including the owner.
  4. Have both the appetite and aptitude for growth in terms of revenue or jobs.
  5. Deliver products or services locally or beyond the current service area and is a company that provides substantial employment to the community.
  6. Must be referred by a participating economic development or Entrepreneur Support Organization

3. Requirements for Entry

Companies can be considered for the Program by submitting an application. Only individuals over 18 years old and authorized to act on behalf of the nominee may submit an application. All application information and biographical information contained in the application must be accurate, and the Hennepin County Housing, Community Works And Transit (the "Program Administrators") reserve the right to verify all of the information in the application. Due diligence may be conducted to determine an applicant's eligibility and to confirm the accuracy of the application. Applications with unverifiable or incomplete information may be disqualified. The Program is not responsible for applications that are not received due to any reason, including, but not limited to, problems or technical malfunctions of any telephone equipment, software, failure of e-mail or traffic congestion on the Internet or any Web site or combination thereof.

4. Selection

Participants will be selected by a panel comprised of representatives of the Program as deemed appropriate by the Program Administrators. Selection into the program will be based on the following criteria: growth in number of employees, impact of the business in the job market, increase in gross revenues, classification in targeted industries, innovativeness of the product or service, and other criteria deemed appropriate. The Program Administrators are allowed complete discretion in determining program participants.

5. Use of Information

All information provided by the nominee in the application shall remain confidential, except as follows:
  • The information will be privately reviewed by the Program Administrators, and others as deemed appropriate by the Program Administrators, to select the program participants.

  • Some of the information on the application may be used in aggregate for research, educational or other purposes.

  • If the company is selected as a program participant, the Program Administrators may use the company name and contact information.
By submitting the application, the company acknowledges and consents to all of the above-listed uses.

6. Limitations

If, for any reason, the Program is not capable of operating as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Program Administrators, that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Program, the Program Administrators reserve the right at their sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Program.

IN NO EVENT WILL THE PROGRAM, THE EDWARD LOWE FOUNDATION OR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF PARTICIPATION IN THIS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, EVEN IF THE PROGRAM, THE EDWARD LOWE FOUNDATION OR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

System for Integrated Growth

Are you struggling to scale your company? Like many second-stage business owners, you may be noticing systems that once served you well are now starting to show cracks — or that you need new skills and more targeted information in order to continue growing profitably. The System for Integrated Growth® (SIG) provides guidance to shore up fundamental areas inside your company — and information to grow sales and achieve higher profits. For example, SIG can help you:

  • Learn how to recruit, retain and develop talented employees.
  • Get a handle on your financial management and understand what your books are telling you.
  • Bring in best practices around supply chain and operations to complement your managers' working knowledge.
  • Prepare to export — from documentation to identifying global markets and setting up distribution channels.
  • Explore new markets, create prospect lists for those markets, or analyze competitors while addressing your sales and marketing process

SIG is delivered virtually through a series of phone calls and a secure, online portal so you never need to leave your office. SIG’s SWAT team of specialists don’t dictate a particular course of action. Instead, they provide best practices and valuable market data to help you find relevant solutions to better manage and grow your company. In addition to being experts in their respective fields, SIG specialists operate under the guidance of the Edward Lowe Foundation, which is nationally recognized for serving second-stage growth companies.

SIG is ideal for companies at pivotal points in their development: For example, even though your company is growing, you may feel overwhelmed — you don’t know what you don’t know. You may need to build a senior management team, but lack employees with in-depth knowledge in certain disciplines. Or you may be running on all cylinders and are at a crossroad for taking that next step towards increased sales in new markets. Whatever your situation, SIG can provide expertise for continued success.