FSCJ Awarded NACCE Grant to Power Student Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition
Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) was awarded a $5,000 grant from the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) to support an upcoming pitch competition for student entrepreneurs enrolled in FSCJ’s Stepping Stones program. The funding is part of NACCE’s Everyday Entrepreneur Program (EEP), a national initiative that provides seed capital and support to student founders developing real-world business ventures.
The pitch competition, coordinated by Gregory Grant, Entreprenologist and Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship in FSCJ’s Continuing Workforce Education (CWE) department, will take place on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at FSCJ’s Advanced Technology Center (ATC).
Twenty student entrepreneurs from the Stepping Stones program, led by Program Director Maggy Dartiguenave and Instructor Deidra McNair-Pinkney, will compete for a total prize pool of $4,000. First place will receive $2,000, second place $1,250 and third place $750. The competition provides an opportunity for student founders to pitch their ventures to a panel of venture capitalists and angel investors, who may consider funding viable businesses in addition to awarding the NACCE-backed prizes.
“This is more than a pitch event,” said Grant. “It is a launchpad for entrepreneurial students who are ready to move from classroom concepts to real enterprise. The NACCE grant makes it possible to reward their hard work and also attract potential investment for their ideas.”
The Foundations of Entrepreneurship course, originally developed by Grant and now taught by McNair-Pinkney, has been integrated into the Stepping Stones program to equip participants with core business development skills. The course is designed to be rigorous, actionable and outcomes-driven, ensuring students are not only educated in entrepreneurship theory but also coached through practical application.
The pitch event aligns with FSCJ’s mission to foster workforce innovation and NACCE’s national commitment to expanding entrepreneurial access through community colleges.
About NACCEThe National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges. Its Everyday Entrepreneur Program provides funding and curriculum to support inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems nationwide.