Our History

In 2016 the ADOC, SCORE, and J.F. Drake Technical and Community College started the Prison Entrepreneurship Program called PrEP.

Dale Smith, was part of the development team and eventually wrote all the training materials of this program. As the program got underway in approximately 2017, it was determined that none of the courses available through the SBA or SCORE fulfilled the requirements of an entrepreneurship program that suited men with felonies. In consultation with the leadership at JF Drake and Mr. Smith it was determined that Mr. Smith would create the curriculum and teach the cohorts. This began in 2018 and continued until March of 2020 when the prisons were closed due to Covid 19.

One of the key elements was to provide funding to the graduates from the program after their release from incarceration.

It was later determined the State could not make direct loans to individuals.

After recovering from the Covid Shutdown Smith established the FreshSTART Funding, Inc. a 501(c)(3) here in Alabama.  The purpose of this nonprofit is to assist the formerly incarcerated in funding their new business.

Loans

Loans of up to $2,500 can be applied for through this non-profit.

Conditions:

  1. Must have completed the FreshSTART Entrepreneurship Program  (FEP) at a Federal, State or Private Correctional Facility.
  2. Complete the FEP after release using an approved training site.
  3. Write an appropriate business plan using any of the templates available in the FEP materials.
  4. Submit an application through this site.

FOUNDER
Dale O Smith, Jr. MA

Mr. Smith is a successful entrepreneur and educator from Anniston, AL. He started his business at age 14 earning enough in 3 years to pay for his entire college education.

Mr. Smith graduated from Mississippi College with a BS in Psychology before going on to earn his Masters of Arts from Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. He has spent more than 30 years in churches leading workshops, seminars and educational activities.

In addition to his work in church, Mr. Smith continued to develop businesses and business opportunities. He was selected to appraise the value of the Buck Ram music library and the Krypton Film Library. His expertise in valuations led him to be one of most sought after appraisers and experts in the film industry.

In 2016 Mr. Smith joined SCORE, a non-profit business mentoring service, to share his insights into the development of Start-up Business in Publishing, Appraising, and Sports marketing. He was very quickly appointed the District Director for Alabama and the panhandle of Florida.

At the request of the Alabama Department of Corrections and Drake State Technical and Community College he developed the Preparing Entrepreneurs Prison Program (PREP). In the past 3 years of the program was taught to over 500 students how to start their own business after release from prison.