ETP Success Story: Pars Equality Center, Los Angeles (PARs)

Pars Equality Center, Los Angeles (PARs) and partner organization, Asian Pacific Islander (API) Small Business Collaborative, provided micro-grants, entrepreneurial training, and technical assistance to SEED target populations to support them in starting or maintaining a small business in California. PARs focused on serving aspiring entrepreneurs and micro/small business owners among the Iranian and Afghan refugee and immigrant populations.

PARs’ Entrepreneur Training Program taught entrepreneurs how to start a business by covering business planning and basic operations. PARs and API provided training on a broad outline of issues that new businesses must consider including corporate legal forms of business, business permits and licenses, bookkeeping and basic accounting, insurance, marketing, and access to capital.