FSU’s LEAP Program welcomes third Tallahassee cohort, awards microgrants to 2025 graduates

Florida State University’s Leon Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program (LEAP) welcomed 35 local entrepreneurs to its third Tallahassee cohort Sept. 26, helping participants build businesses while navigating economic and other challenges. The kickoff event also recognized three graduates of the 2025 cohort with microgrants to support the continued growth of their businesses.

LEAP was launched in 2024 by FSU’s Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship and the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship as part of the Urban Poverty and Business Initiative, a global network housed at the University of Notre Dame that uses entrepreneurship as a pathway out of poverty and returned for a second cohort in 2025. The 10-month program supports aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs in Leon, Gadsden and Wakulla counties through a community bootcamp where they are mentored by local business owners and consulted by FSU students.

The 2026 cohort is participating in a six-week community bootcamp that runs through Oct. 31 and features 12 guest speakers, including local entrepreneurs and community leaders.

“I am amazed by the powerful stories our participants bring with them and by the businesses they are building, many of them born from real needs they see in their own neighborhoods,” said Susana Santos, Jim Moran Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship. “They bring so much passion and commitment to every session. Many of them are building ventures not only to support their families, but to serve their community and help build up Tallahassee. That spirit is what LEAP is all about.”

“I am amazed by the powerful stories our participants bring with them and by the businesses they are building, many of them born from real needs they see in their own neighborhoods.”

– Susana Santos, Jim Moran Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship

Three LEAP 2025 alumni returned to share their experiences and entrepreneurial journeys on a panel: Shishandra Devlin of Bougie With A Board, Sarah Babchuck of Love Story Book Co. and Latasha Davis of Wisdom Adult Day Care Services. At the close of the panel, the three were surprised with the award of microgrants for their businesses.

The grants are awarded based on each entrepreneur’s progress through the program’s 80 steps toward a sustainable venture over the 10 months of LEAP. Two of this year’s grants were supported by the Urban Poverty and Business Initiative network and one by Bank of America, which recently awarded a grant to the Jim Moran Institute to support LEAP and other small business programs.

“These microgrants recognize the work our graduates keep putting in long after the bootcamp ends,” said Marina Lickson, Northwest Florida director at the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship. “Each of these entrepreneurs made real progress toward a sustainable business, and we are grateful to the UPBI network and Bank of America for helping us invest in that progress. A small grant at the right moment can make a big difference.”

For Devlin, the microgrant will help her take the next steps in growing her business.

“LEAP has been an important part of my journey as an entrepreneur. It has provided community, resources and the confidence to continue building with intention,” added Devlin. “Receiving this microgrant is an investment in Bougie With A Board’s continued growth and it will allow me to invest in tools and resources that will help my business and serve my clients. I’m incredibly grateful to the Jim Moran Institute, their staff and the LEAP program for continuing to believe in entrepreneurs like me and the businesses we’re building.”

For Babchuck, the support has continued well past graduation.

“LEAP has been instrumental in helping me get my small business up and running. The instruction and guidance don’t stop at the conclusion of the program, and you can really feel how much the instructors want you to grow and succeed,” she said. “The importance of the micro grant for our business cannot be understated as it will help us afford a new sign, which will literally light the way to our store and bring in new customers.”

Davis said the program helped her step back and plan for the long term.

“LEAP has helped me step back from the daily demands of running Wisdom Adult Day Care Services and focus on building a stronger, more sustainable business,” she added. “The guidance, mentorship and encouragement have strengthened my confidence as an entrepreneur. This microgrant will help us purchase engaging activity supplies and equipment that bring joy, connection and meaningful experiences to seniors living with Alzheimer’s and related dementia. For me, this support is also a reminder that our work matters and that I have a community invested in helping us grow.”

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Mike Brady, Interim Dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, attended the opening day and the microgrant ceremony.

“LEAP shows what is possible when a university invests in the people around it,” said Brady. “These entrepreneurs bring the drive, and our faculty, students and community partners help them turn it into lasting businesses. Seeing last year’s graduates return to celebrate their progress and encourage a new cohort is exactly the kind of impact we want to keep growing across Florida.”

LEAP is one of several Entrepreneurship and Adversity Programs through which the Jim Moran Institute supports entrepreneurs facing adversity across Florida. In August 2026, the Institute launched the West Palm Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program at FSU’s West Palm Beach Collaboration Space, where 53 delegates completed the first Community Bootcamp. Together, these programs reflect the Institute’s commitment to helping disadvantaged entrepreneurs throughout the state build sustainable businesses.