The Mission

At the Granite City Entrepreneurship Foundation , we firmly believe that education, innovation, diversity of ideas and economic development serves as the backbone to solving many of our community’s problems. Our goal is to collaborate with local stakeholders across public, and private, sectors for the enrichment of the Folsom community through empowering entrepreneurs and small businesses owners . Our purpose is to foster and support entrepreneurs and small businesses owners, through education, mentorship and advisory services, and access to business resources to ultimately benefit the greater Folsom community.

What is Social Entrepreneurship?

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce/International Trade Administration, social entrepreneurs are individuals who develop new businesses or improve existing businesses in society by addressing its challenges.

A social entrepreneur is an individual who pursues an innovative idea with the potential to solve a social problem. A social entrepreneur is creative and can see opportunities where others see problems. A social entrepreneur is passionate about their cause and has the drive to make a difference. A social entrepreneur is not afraid to take risks and is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to positively impact society.

Local Development

Entrepreneurship-driven local development; ventures can also grow by deepening local embeddedness, simultaneously leveraging and cultivating local resources.

Knowledge Gap

Our mentors, advisory and resource groups provide entrepreneurs, small business owners and students with real world experience to bridge knowledge gaps.

Resource Network

Peer groups to rapid test your product market fit, commercialize technological breakthroughs or make the leap to full-time founders, we are here to support your journey  

The GCEF Promise:

Small businesses create communities. They enrich and support the lives of entrepreneurs, their employees and families, and the people they serve. They are what makes local economies thrive!

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At the root of every business are determined, dedicated people – and at GCEF, we support those people.

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We are fiercely dedicated to assuring every entrepreneur – regardless of where they came from, where they live, their gender or their race – has access to the business mentoring services they need to build a small business that thrives.