Progress Partners, The Milwaukee Urban Entrepreneur Partnership (UEP) and the Metropolitan Business Collaborative (MBC), are about to activate a Special Project Grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to plan, design and initiate the Milwaukee Urban Entrepreneurship Center.

Background on the MBC:

With the regular tax season behind us it was time for Progress to file its own tax return as all tax-exempt organizations (other than churches and church-related organizations) are required to file annually with the IRS.

Smaller tax-exempt organizations - those with annual gross receipts of $25,000 or less-- file the Form 990-N (e-Postcard). This notice, which must be electronically filed, asks for only a few basic pieces of information:
• the organization’s taxpayer identification number
• its tax period
• legal name and mailing address
• any other names used

Progress Through Business is now working very closely with the Milwaukee Urban Entrepreneur Partnership (UEP) to assist that organization from a leadership and administrative standpoint to fulfill its mission and objectives.

Progress Through Business had an excellent year in 2010, both in terms of:
1) fulfilling our mission of helping to support businesses to improve the long-term economic stability and well-being of their low-income employees and surrounding communities; and
2) increasing our financial stability as a non-profit organization

Progress began working with Staples in 2006 and tested the advantages offering employees tax preparation services. Feedback from those serviced was very positive so Progress initiated a partnership with H & R Block to develop a nationwide program for Staples. That program called “Tax Break” was first rolled out in January 2007 to a test group of 3,080 employees. It was agreed that the first 500 employees would receive free tax service (in the months of January, March, and April) and an opportunity to be screened for and potentially enrolled in various company and public benefits.

I would like to announce an exciting new project that Progress Through Business is becoming involved in that will take place in India. India is a nation seething with a mass of humanity—of its 1.2 billion population, over 400 million people live on less than $2 of income a day. This staggering number of people living in poverty is greater than the entire population of the USA.

ANNUAL MEETING OF PROGRESS THROUGH BUSINESS
On August 4th 2010 Progress Through Business will hold it's annual meeting for Staff members. The meeting will be held in Madison Wisconsin. Advisors, Funders, Partners and Volunteers are invited to attend a Luncheon beginning at noon on the 4th. If you are interested please contact either John Hoffmire or Tom Harms at Progress for additional details.

Meeting Overview:

Staff Meeting (Brief Presentations & prep for Strategic Planning): 8-noon

Lunch with staff, advisors, funders and volunteers: noon-1:30

I just wanted to follow-up to my previous blog and let everyone know that it is official - Don Graves has accepted a position with the Treasury Department as a Policy Advisor. Position responsibilities include Job Creation, Small Business Development and Entrepreneurship, Economic Development, Community Development, Financial Stability, and Financial Education. Don Graves, Formally Progress Through Business CEO, has taken a leave of absence from Progress in order to concentrate fully on the important priorites of this new position. We congratulate him and wish him great success.

This is exciting news for Progress. We expect to know shortly if one of our members is to become a Policy Advisor in the Treasury Department. Just the fact that a member is being considered is really significant. Position responsibilities would include Job Creation, Small Business Development and Entrepreneurship, Economic Development, Community Development, Financial Stability, and Financial Education. Once we know the outcome we will post it on our blog along with the details.