WBDC Receives Award for Supporting Arts and Culture Businesses

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. — The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) was honored to receive the 2023 Outstanding Business Supporter of Arts & Culture at the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Annual Meeting & ECTy Celebration. The Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition presented the award in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut at the March 30 event held at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

We are both thrilled and honored to be recognized by the Cultural Coalition for our work in a space that we truly value — supporting women entrepreneurs in the arts,” said WBDC Founder and CEO Fran Pastore. “This award is more than recognition  of the great work we are doing in eastern Connecticut and across the state, but also a reflection of the amazing and talented women entrepreneurs that choose to work with us to grow their businesses.”

The Cultural Coalition Awards recognize organizations that reflect and embody the Coalition’s core values: connect, collaborate, and communicate.

The Outstanding Business Supporter of Arts & Culture award recognizes a business (non-cultural) that has strengthened arts and culture in eastern Connecticut through its long-standing support of and commitment to the sector through:

• Raising the profile of arts and culture in the community

• Outstanding contributions toward building strong and vibrant arts and cultural communities

• Supporting engaging community outreach programs

• Consistent philanthropic contributions (significant cash, grants, in-kind, sponsorship, or other)

About the Women’s Business Development Council 

The Women’s Business Development Council’s (WBDC) mission is to support economic prosperity for women and strengthen communities through entrepreneurial and financial education services that create and grow sustainable jobs and businesses across Connecticut. WBDC educates, motivates, and empowers women to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency. Since 1997, WBDC has educated and trained more than 17,000 clients in all of Connecticut’s 169 towns—helping women to launch, sustain and scale over 12,750 businesses, create and maintain over 27,500 jobs in Connecticut, and access more than $63 million in capital. Visit ctwbdc.org for more information.