The Banker’s Blueprint: Access to Capital

About

An eight-week Dallas County accelerator helps established business owners understand lender requirements and build a financing-ready loan package with banking professionals, Dallas College, and Texas Regional Bank.

Benefits

• 🎓Dallas College credential
  Completing the credentialed Banker’s Blueprint track earns an Occupational Skills Award approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and recorded on a Dallas College transcript.
• 📄Complete loan application package
  Participants build a capstone package that includes an executive summary, financials, tax returns, forecast, credit report, collateral summary, and use-of-funds statement.
• 📊Financial deliverables
  Participants produce a Strategic Financial Identity Statement, Financial Health Scorecard, 12-month revenue forecast, cash flow projection, Business Credit and Identity Assessment, 90-day credit-strengthening plan, and Capital Strategy Map.
• 🏦Lender feedback
  The program concludes with Capital Ready Day, where participants present financing proposals to bankers, investors, and community development financial institution officials and receive feedback.
• 👩‍🏫 Instruction and coaching
  The program provides roughly 45 hours of instruction and coaching, seven live sessions, self-paced modules, structured application work, and one-on-one technical assistance between sessions.
• 📚Book study
  Participants read Profit First by Mike Michalowicz alongside the weekly financial work.
• 📝Showcase recording
  The two-day showcase presentation is recorded for the participant’s own use.
• ⚠️ Funding is not guaranteed
  Completing the program does not guarantee a loan or investment; the program is designed to prepare participants to pursue financing.

Eligibility Criteria

• The program is open to businesses across all industries.
• Applicants must have an active, legally registered business structured as a sole proprietorship, LLC, S-Corp, partnership, or corporation.
• The business must have been operating for at least six months at the time of application.
• The business must be headquartered or primarily operating in Dallas County, Texas.
• The applicant must be the owner, co-owner, or a senior decision-maker with authority to make operational and strategic changes.
• Staff applying on behalf of an owner are not accepted without written authorization and the owner’s co-enrollment.
• Preference is given to businesses with 1–50 employees.
• Priority enrollment goes to graduates of The Empowered CEO™ Institute programs.

Participation Commitments

• Applications close on 18 September 2026.
• Instruction runs on Tuesdays from 20 October to 1 December 2026, with 24 November skipped for Thanksgiving.
• Capital Ready Day takes place on 7–8 December 2026.
• Participants commit to four hours of live instruction and two hours of self-paced work each week, plus application work on their own business.
• Participants must attend live sessions, complete self-paced modules, and do application work on their own business between sessions.
• Missing more than two live sessions without notice may result in removal from the cohort.
• A computer or laptop, a reliable internet connection, and an email address checked regularly are required.
• Tuition is $150 for chamber members and $250 for non-members.

Target Sector

Sector agnostic, Agriculture & Food, Defense & Security, Education, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Government & Public Sector, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Real Estate & Construction, Retail & Consumer, Semiconductors & Electronics, Sports & Fitness, Telecommunications, Transportation & Logistics, Travel & Hospitality, Other

Target Location

Applicant businesses must be headquartered or primarily operating in Dallas County, Texas.