Rockville, Maryland — Kaiser Permanente and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) are
inviting local business owners in Greater Washington D.C. to apply to the Inner City Capital
Connections (ICCC) program – a tuition-free, 40-hour “mini-MBA” program that combines executive
education, webinars and coaching delivered by top-ranking university professors and local experts.
ICCC’s 2022 D.C. cohort is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente and implemented in partnership with the
D.C. Department of Small and Local Business Development. The program is designed to help businesses
in communities facing economic injustice with strategies to build capacity for sustainable growth
and opportunities to connect with capital sources to help create jobs locally. The program
continues to be particularly relevant this year as many businesses owned by people of color and
women have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“At Kaiser Permanente, we recognize that when our local businesses are healthy, our communities and
residents have a better chance of achieving total health. The ICCC training program allows us to
support local communities by helping diverse, local businesses grow and thrive,” said Ondrea
McIntyre-Hall, senior director, Community Health, Kaiser Permanente, Mid- Atlantic. “Supporting
these businesses bring jobs and important services to our communities.
We are honored to partner with ICIC to invest in the future of the Greater Washington region.”
The 2022 cohort marks the fifth time that the ICCC has been offered to Washington’s businesses
since 2017. Washington is home to 324 ICCC alumni, and since their participating have averaged 49%
growth revenue, and raised $64M in capital. The 2021 DC cohort included 75% Black, indigenous or
people-of-color-owned and 55% woman-owned businesses.
Dr. Darnita L. Payden, Owner and Executive Director, Dr. DClutter™ Life Management, offers virtual
training and consultations in the areas of clutter, hoarding disorder, life management, time
management, and organization. As a member of the 2021 Washington, D.C. cohort, she was able to
develop new competencies and shift her strategy in response to the global pandemic, critical to the
success of her business.
“I’m so grateful because the ICCC program helped me to pivot, to reevaluate, and to reimagine [my
business], all for free,” said Payden. “I jokingly say that I feel as if I’ve earned an MBA because
of this program.”
Entrepreneurs accepted into the program will participate in 40 hours of high-impact virtual
learning that is divided into four components designed to maximize each participant’s
experience and accommodate their busy schedules. The Washington D.C., cohort opens with
two half-day seminars on Aug. 30 and Sept. 1, taught by leading business professors. Throughout the
program, participants engage in webinars, digital learning sessions and one-on- one business
coaching appointments that tackle immediate challenges. The program culminates with a virtual
national conference that focuses on building strategies of resilience and connecting with capital
providers.
“ICIC is proud to continue to partner with Kaiser Permanente toward our shared vision for a more
equitable and inclusive society,” said Steve Grossman, CEO, ICIC. “Together, we are creating
sustainable small business ecosystems in the region’s most economically vulnerable communities by
providing hundreds of historically untapped local entrepreneurs access to tuition-free executive
training, connection to a robust national alumni network, and the ability to create jobs, income,
and wealth for local residents.”
Kaiser Permanente has long supported the ICCC program and other community initiatives that seek to
advance economic opportunity. This year’s program begins shortly after Kaiser Permanente announced
a $400 million commitment to extend the organization’s efforts to economic development and
affordable housing.
Applications for the Washington, D.C. program are due August 5ᵗʰ. Visit ICIC’s website for
additional detail about the ICCC program including eligibility criteria and applications.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one
of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser
Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve
the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve almost 12.5 million
members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their
total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and
team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by
industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention,
state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is
dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community
health. For more information, go to about.kp.org.
About ICCC
Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) is a tuition-free executive leadership training program
designed by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) to help business owners in
under-resourced communities build capacity for sustainable growth in revenue, profitability, and
employment. ICCC is uniquely designed to provide three critical elements for sustainable growth:
Capacity-building education, One-on-one coaching, and Connections to capital and capital providers.
