RACINE COUNTY - Matching grants of up to $2,500 are available for small- and medium-sized minority-owned businesses. For the third consecutive year, Racine County is making the grants available to eligible minority-owned, for-profit businesses; nonprofits are not eligible.

The program is designed to help minority-owned businesses grow so that they can continue to provide jobs in Racine County for minority entrepreneurs and their employees.

The grants will provide qualifying businesses with up to $2,500 to help cover costs associated with improving their business operations - such as staff training, business consulting services, marketing plans and business systems upgrades. Normally, equipment will not be eligible for grants, although computer systems may be approved on a case-by-case basis.

To be eligible, a business must be at least 51 percent minority owned, based in Racine County, have no more than 200 employees and have average sales of no more than $5 million.

The grant program is managed for the county by the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Small Business Development Center. For more information or a grant application, contact the center's director, Deneine Powell, at (262) 898-7414 or by e-mail to dpowell@racinecountyedc.org

Learn about starting your own business at UW-Parkside workshop

RACINE - Thinking of starting a business or wondering if entrepreneurship is right for you? The University of Wisconsin-Parkside Small Business Development will offer the "First Steps to Starting a Business" workshop from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Racine County Workforce Development Center, 1717 Taylor Ave., classroom C.

This program is designed to help people better understand what is involved in starting and running a small business. Some topics covered include assessing your strengths and weaknesses as a business owner, analyzing the potential for your idea and discovering what information to find and where to find it.

The program is free and all necessary materials will be provided. Registration is mandatory; call (262)898-7442 to register or for more information.