Submit to the 2023 ELC pitch competition ($10,000 in prizes, sponsored by EBSCO & ALA)

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Submissions are now open for the Entrepreneurship & Libraries Pitch Competitionhttps://entrelib.org/elcpc2023/ 

Five libraries will be selected to compete in the May 4 (3-4pm EST) pitch competition via Zoom, and all five libraries will win funding:
1st place: $4,000 | 2nd: $2,500 | 3rd: $1,500 | 4th & 5th: $500
The audience choice award will be an additional $1,000 for one of the 5 libraries.

To help develop their pitches, the five competing libraries will receive free consulting with the ELC pitch consultant, Jenn Hensel of ElePitch.

After the pitch event, all five libraries will be offered free mentoring with previous awardees and “Libraries Build Business” librarians to assist in completing their projects.

Thank you to EBSCO and ALA–Libraries Build Business for sponsoring the event.

Nature of the pitch:

The focus of the pitching is how a library can support local economic development, job hunters, workforce development, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and/or small businesses. For 2023, the ELC is particularly interested in pitches that focus on local equity issues or marginalized populations and communities.

The target audience for the pitching will be stakeholders in economic development, not librarians. Therefore our three judges, who will rank the five pitches on May 4, are economic development officers.

Application Requirements:

Details are provided at https://entrelib.org/elcpc2023/ as well as on the submission form, https://forms.gle/Revq32pV6vR12Tmz7 

In brief, a library would write 400-600 words total covering the 7 prompts listed in the form.

In return for winning funding from the ELC, the five libraries will share an update with the co-chairs on their process three months after the pitch day, and by the end of the calendar year, will either write or record (video) a short “lessons learned” final report, which will be posted on the ELC website. 

Resources: 

See https://entrelib.org/elcpc2023/ for the 2023 and 2022 “Pitch Perfect” workshop videos, as well as the previous pitch competitions. 

The ELC “Inclusive Entrepreneurship” mini-conference provides examples and inspirations for partnering with marginalized populations and communities. https://entrelib.org/information-registration/ 

The Libraries Build Business Playbook provides examples and recommendations of library outreach to and engagement with partners. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/Workforce/LBB_Playbook_web_013122.pdf (free)

Pitch Day:

The five finalists will have up to five minutes to pitch their idea to the three judges and the librarians attending the Zoom session. After the five pitches, the judges will confer in private. Meanwhile, the audience will be polled to determine the audience choice award. The ELC will host an open discussion while we wait for the judges’ decision. We’ll end the session with general networking time. 

Dates:

March 24: Submissions deadline
April 3: “Top five” libraries notified & connected with ELC pitch consultant Jenn Hensel for free consulting
May 4: Pitch competition (3-5pm Eastern via Zoom, open to all)

Thank you! Please let one of the co-chairs know if you have any questions.

Angel Truesdale (UNC Charlotte): Angel.Truesdale [at] uncc.edu ()
Megan Janicki (American Library Association): mjanicki [at] alawash.org () 
Steve Cramer (UNC Greensboro): smcramer [at] uncg.edu ()