The Coca-Cola Company in North America has awarded a $2.5 million gift to the University of Notre Dame鈥檚 . The initiative brings together universities and nonprofit organizations committed to alleviating poverty and helping low-income and underprivileged individuals launch and grow sustainable businesses.
The gift will enable UPBI, housed within the University鈥檚 , to expand its network of partner organizations across the United States and into Canada, including cities that will host the . The games will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
As a partner of the FIFA World Cup 26, Coca-Cola is partnering with community groups, colleges and youth leadership programs across the country to drive economic growth and inclusion, help the next generation of leaders unlock their potential, and make positive and long-lasting contributions to local communities that extend beyond the tournament.
鈥淲e are thankful to Coca-Cola for this gift, which will allow us to grow the Urban Poverty and Business Initiative network and significantly increase the number of disadvantaged entrepreneurs we serve,鈥� said , the Marilyn Keough Dean and professor of global affairs at the Keough 91视频. 鈥淭his program is at the heart of the Keough 91视频 and Notre Dame鈥檚 mission to foster human dignity through economic empowerment. By expanding into new cities, we are not only supporting entrepreneurs, but also strengthening local economies and communities.鈥�
UPBI currently serves more than 3,000 business owners per year, many of whom are facing adverse circumstances or economic hardship. With support from Coca-Cola, the program was able to broaden its scope to include 13 additional cities 鈥� 11 in the United States and two in Canada 鈥� and will now serve more than 55 cities. This expansion will include the host locations of Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle and San Francisco, as well as Toronto and Vancouver. Together, the partnership will support at least 50 business owners annually in each of the new partner locations, training and equipping another 2,400 entrepreneurs over the next three years.
鈥淭hrough Coca-Cola鈥檚 support, we will be able to provide a turnkey training system of business skills and best practices to new partners, which can then be shared with small business owners in their own communities,鈥� said , professor of the practice who specializes in entrepreneurship and social innovation. Morris holds a faculty appointment within the Keough 91视频鈥檚 and is the creator of the UPBI program.
鈥淎nd when individuals start business ventures, and they can access programs such as UPBI as well as other elements of local entrepreneurial ecosystems, their ability to share in the economic boost provided by global events such as the next year鈥檚 tournament can be considerably enhanced,鈥� Morris added.
The UPBI program equips partner organizations in each city with the model, structure, curriculum, content, tools and guidance to effectively create and launch their own entrepreneurship programs. Partner cities are also supported with a comprehensive resource website, regular partner meetings and site visits.
Using an activity-based approach that centers on 80 steps to a sustainable business, the program is modeled on the belief that for every step it can help an entrepreneur take, he or she will be enabled to take two or three more on their own. To achieve such success, the program employs a six-stage intervention process that unfolds over an 11-month period and includes training, mentoring, consulting, networking events to connect entrepreneurs to the larger community, a pathway to microcredit financing, and a database to track progress in these ventures over a three-year period.
Coca-Cola鈥檚 gift will enable Notre Dame to establish relationships with new key individuals and organizations in host cities, receive commitments from lead partners in each city to join the UPBI partnership and implement its model, and ensure each city implements all components of the UPBI approach.
The Coca-Cola Foundation, the company鈥檚 philanthropic arm, has already provided support to the UPBI network in the form of microgrants for entrepreneurs who complete benchmarked steps while they are enrolled in the program. 鈥淗ence, we are rewarding progress in moving their business ventures forward,鈥� Morris explained. 鈥淭he Coca-Cola Company鈥檚 gift would provide additional support as part of an enhanced microgrant program in the tournament host cities.鈥�
Notre Dame鈥檚 McKenna Center seeks to better understand the critical role of global business in reducing poverty, underemployment and inequality by striving to stimulate economic growth and develop markets in communities struggling with those issues. They do so by fostering collaboration between the private sector, universities, nonprofit organizations and governmental entities to build and reinforce corporate cultures that epitomize responsible stewardship and exemplify the transformative power of entrepreneurship as a tool for social and economic inclusion. These ideas are consistent with the tenets of both
鈥淥ur experience is that entrepreneurship can truly provide a pathway out of poverty, which can be empowering for both individuals and communities alike,鈥� Morris said.
Contact: Tracy DeStazio, associate director of media relations, 574-631-9958 or tdestazi@nd.edu