Ivy Tech Bloomington to host free business financing workshop

By Grace Kim

Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington will host the no-cost Get Bank Ready workshop on Monday, November 9, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Lamkin Hall. Ivy Tech Bloomington says the session targets entrepreneurs who want financial-readiness training before they meet with a lender. The workshop brings together entrepreneurs, lenders and economic-development experts.

Who is behind the program?

The workshop is part of CEED to Success, a national pilot program designed to expand financing education and create pathways to business growth and economic opportunity. The program focuses on underserved populations.

Ivy Tech Bloomington is partnering with Indiana Members Credit Union, Baker Hill, the program’s founder, and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE).

Baker Hill’s Dirk Soma, director, Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, said: “CEED to Success isn’t just a program—it’s a catalyst for systemic change.”

He added: “By working alongside NACCE and aligning education, entrepreneurship, and local partnerships, we’re building resilient ecosystems where underserved entrepreneurs don’t just start businesses; they drive lasting, community-centered impact.”

The partnership pairs classroom preparation with direct access to a local lender and a national community-college entrepreneurship network.

What will the workshop cover?

Ivy Tech Bloomington says the programming includes an overview of resources for area entrepreneurs and a financing fundamentals presentation led by Indiana Members Credit Union.

Department Chair Sueann Graham of the Garatoni School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Ivy Tech Bloomington said: “The first time our entrepreneurs sit down with a lender should not be the first time they learn what a lender needs to see.”

Graham added: “In our program, students build their financial model, business plan, and pitch before they ever ask for a dollar.”

“This workshop opens the same door to the entire community. Business owners will leave knowing what to prepare, who in the region can help, and what it takes to walk into a bank with confidence.”

Attendees will get a defined preparation step before approaching a lender, Graham said.

Why does bank readiness matter?

Trevor Haley, vice president, Commercial Underwriting at Indiana Members Credit Union, said: “Being bankable is about more than securing a loan.” He added: “It is about building a business that is positioned for long-term success.”

Haley said: “Through this program, we want to help entrepreneurs understand the financial foundations that inspire confidence from lenders, investors, and partners.”

“By serving as educators and trusted advisors, financial institutions can play an important role in helping small businesses grow and thrive.”

Ivy Tech Bloomington and its partners describe the collaboration’s goal as making business loans more accessible, especially for underserved founders.

Recent U.S. Census data cited by Ivy Tech Bloomington show that women-owned and minority-owned firms each represent more than one in five employer businesses nationwide. Veteran-owned businesses remain a significant force in communities across the country, according to the same announcement.

Ivy Tech Bloomington says initiatives such as CEED to Success can give those founders clearer pathways to financing knowledge, relationships and resources as they scale.

The practical starting point is preparation: entrepreneurs need the financial foundations before they ask for money.

How can entrepreneurs attend?

Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington is located at 200 Daniels Way on the west side of Bloomington, Ind. Lunch will be provided, and seating is limited. To reserve a seat, visit link.ivytech.edu/ceedworkshop.

For entrepreneurs, the Nov. 9 workshop offers a free, concrete step before lender meetings: learn what to prepare, identify regional support and hear a financing fundamentals presentation from Indiana Members Credit Union.