The PIPE Program
Eligibility Criteria
Participant Requirements:
✔ Must be employed by a certified MBE, WBE or DBE company (certified by NMSDC, City of Chicago, Cook County, US BEP or equivalent entity)
✔ Officers or key employees with basic business knowledge
✔ One applicant per company
Company Requirements:
✔ 3+ years in business
✔ Annual revenue between $100,000 – $50 million
✔ Minimum of 3 full- or part-time employees
✔ Priority consideration for food/facility services companies
Cost: $2,500 per participant (Full scholarships available for qualifying businesses)
Program Dates: September 9, 2025 – October 28, 2025
Class Time: Tuesdays | 3:00 – 6:00 PM CST | Virtual
Weekly Course Breakdown
Week 1 (9/9/25) – Strategic Planning Skills
Clarify goals and use business intelligence for smarter decision-making.
Week 2 (9/16/25) – Managing Organizational Goals
Learn to turn strategy into action with tactical goal-setting and team planning.
Week 3 (9/23/25) – Business Ethics
Understand the importance of values and ethics in scaling responsibly.
Week 4 (9/30/25) – Financial Management/Project Management I
Explore the financial lifecycle, risk management, and teamwork.
Week 5 (10/7/25) – Project Management II
Dive deeper into budgeting, progress tracking, reporting, and closeout.
Week 6 (10/14/25) – Introduction to Supply Chain Management
Unpack supply chain theory and its role in strategic planning.
Week 7 (10/21/25) – Elements of Supply Chain
Review operations, logistics, and service delivery for performance impact.
Week 8 (10/28/25) – Process Improvement
Tie it all together—learn tools to evaluate and enhance your business systems.
Questions?
Contact Neda Sharp, Director of Program Development
programs@chicagomsdc.org
PIPE Program-Cohort 3
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