NFTE's youth form a business plan as part of our unique entrepreneurship program, however they often lack the money to fully put their plans into action. Funds raised through this initiative will provide valuable seed capital investment prizes for the finalists in the NFTE DC Region Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge.
Central to the NFTE program is that students are required to write a business plan. This process begins in the fall as the students begin to develop their business idea and a pitch presentation to promote their business. Unfortunately, many students don't have the resources to fully complete their plan and thus can't see their idea to completion. Without funding and guidance their ideas remain just that, ideas. This deprives our students of the best business lesson there is, experience.
In addition to competing for seed capital for their business, students who compete in the Challenge learn valuable skills that are key to the creation of their business. They gain experience presenting to potential investors, practice thinking on their feet to answer questions, and learn how to hone a pitch that will captivate an audience. Each classroom competition winner receives a $100 microgrant, and those that continue to advance have the potential to compete for more prizes.
By working to keep at-risk students engaged in their school work, NFTE spurs its participants to graduate high school and dare to dream of a brighter future. Whether they pursue higher education, enter the workforce, or start their own business, NFTE instills an entrepreneurial mindset in young people so they can plan for success. Since 1987 NFTE has worked with over 500,000 students across the U.S. and around the world.