What does NC REAL provide?
NC REAL provides direct training, services, and staff support over a 2 year period (as well as on-going site support after this initial period) to each site selected. This includes:
- use of the REAL Entrepreneurship Curriculum Guide (a detailed course sequence designed to develop entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, and accompanying computer templates useful in business plan development);
- assistance in identifying scholarship opportunities to fund part or all of each facilitator’s tuition for the REAL Institute, a 32-37 hour residential professional development session held several times a year and required for all REAL facilitators;
- an In-Service facilitators conference, once a year for 2 years, for which NC REAL covers the cost of the facilitator’s tuition, travel, lodging, subsistence, and substitutes;
- on-going support via site visits, website, and a toll-free telephone number;
- program evaluation; and
- referrals for REAL participants to resources for loan capital for the start-up or expansion of a business.
