Moore Forward (Moore County, NC) Receives $25,000 Grant from Duke Energy Foundation

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. - Aug. 6, 2013 - PRLog -- Moore Forward has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation that will be used for programs to support entrepreneurial development and acceleration in Moore County, NC.  Moore Forward is an initiative spearheaded by Partners in Progress, Moore County’s nonprofit economic development organization, to cultivate innovative entrepreneurship and small business development that will create sustainable, high-quality jobs in Moore County’s communities.

“We are so excited that Moore Forward was chosen to receive this grant”, said Dr. Aaron Spence, Chairman of Moore Forward’s Board of Directors.  “The Duke Energy Foundation recognizes the value of our initiative and the tremendous economic impact it will have on Moore County long-term.”

“‘Home-growing’ new businesses, creating new jobs for our residents, helping to equip our students with the skills they need to thrive and compete in the global workplace – these are some of the ways Moore Forward will impact our communities,” added Pat Corso, Executive Director of Partners in Progress. 

Partners in Progress is collaborating with several other local organizations including Sandhills Community College, Moore County Schools, and the Moore County Chamber of Commerce to implement Moore Forward’s 3-year strategic plan. 

Under Dr. Spence’s leadership, Moore Forward will use part of the Duke Energy Foundation grant for educational programming through Moore County Schools and Sandhills Community College. Starting this fall, Moore County Schools will be kicking off the Advanced Studies in Entrepreneurship (ASE) course at Union Pines High School (Carthage, NC). Union Pines will feature “cool space” classrooms for ASE students where they can work on developing their business plans.  The ASE course and cool space will be established at both Pinecrest High School (Southern Pines, NC) and North Moore High School (Robbins, NC) in the near future.

Through Moore Forward, both students and faculty will be able to take advantage of business expertise and mentorship opportunities accessible not only in the cool space at Union Pines, but also in Moore Forward’s co-working space in Pinehurst.  In these locations, student entrepreneurs will be paired with active entrepreneurs and mentors from Moore Forward to receive invaluable guidance on how to move their ideas from paper into the workplace.  Faculty will be able to meet with business and industry leaders to stay current on the real world business environment and emerging trends.

“The partnership between Moore County Schools and Moore Forward will develop entrepreneurship as a key strategy for ensuring all of our students are ready for the future,” said Spence.   

Students and Moore Forward entrepreneurs will also be connected to entrepreneurial development opportunities at Sandhills Community College; for example, the creation of an entrepreneurship competition, or ‘Innovation Challenge’, that will be open to the high school students, college students, and eventually the general community.

The Duke Energy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to improving the quality of life in the communities Duke Energy serves.  By supporting local charitable organizations like Partners in Progress, the Foundation expresses its commitment to sustainable economic development by providing resources to help communities thrive today and in the future.  In addition to economic development, the foundation’s other areas of focus are the environment, education and community vitality.

“At Duke Energy, we know that the success of our company is closely tied to the growth and vitality of the communities we serve,” said David McNeill, Duke Energy’s District Manager based in Aberdeen.  “We believe that investments in support of economic development are important to the prosperity of communities throughout this region, and are a stimulus for jobs and investments in the local economy. Duke Energy is proud to partner with Moore Forward in support of this community-based, entrepreneurial initiative.”

For more information about Moore Forward, go to http://www.mooreforward.org.   For more information about Moore County Partners in Progress, go to http://www.moorebusiness.org.