The ICA Portfolio is made up of growing inner city businesses that are dedicated to creating quality inner city jobs, and building socially responsible businesses.

The ICA portfolio represents many industries from artisan food manufacturing, to commercial services and custom product manufacturing. ICA entrepreneurs have demonstrated the vision, drive and business experience to build sustainable companies that are driving the economic development of the inner city.

ICA invests in portfolio companies in the following ways:

• Pro-Bono Business Assessment based on scalability and job creation potential across 8 focus areas of the business
• Matches companies with a unique team of high caliber advisors & consultants
• Advising Milestone-based Work plan within 8 Business Focus Areas: Financial Management, Strategy, Capital Readiness, Operations, Marketing & Sales, HR, Environmental Sustainability, and Leadership
• Access to ICA Entrepreneurship Education Institute
• Access to pro-bono or discounted professional services, such as Legal, Accounting, etc.
• Access to valuable resources such as Smart Capital, Tax Savings, PR, etc.

To qualify to become a Portfolio Company, you must/should meet the following criteria:

• Located and committed to growing within the inner city
• Ability to create quality jobs for local inner-city residents
• Approximately at $1-5M in revenue with the ability and desire to scale beyond $5M
• In business at least 2 years with defensible business and financial models
• A socially responsible business that contributes to the local inner city community

The following steps are taken for a company to become an ICA Portfolio Company:

Step 1: Apply

Companies that meet the basic portfolio criteria should complete an {application here}

Step 2: Due Diligence

Upon successful receipt of your application, we will conduct a due diligence process including the following:

Assessment:
Qualified applicants are taken through ICA’s Due Diligence Process, including a 90-minute in-depth interview and site visit conducted by a pro-bono Due Diligence Advisor and ICA Portfolio Manager. This comprehensive assessment provides a deeper understanding of the business’s strengths, weaknesses, and specific advising needs across 8 focus areas. All companies that participate in the due diligence process receive a thorough assessment package with initial recommendations for growth.

Evaluation:
ICA evaluates a company’s fit for the portfolio by conducting a Mission ROI assessment based on revenue growth and inner city job creation potential. For instance, a minimum Mission Investment of 150 advising hours should yield a Mission Return of 15+ Inner City Jobs Created.

Acceptance:
Portfolio acceptance is based on a review of materials submitted during your application, an ICA lead evaluation, as well as a final presentation made to the ICA Board of Directors.