NEWSContact: Rashonda Alexander 314.252.0581Meghan O’Donnell 314.252.8503Pathways United, under the leadership of Dr. Alice Prince, received the coveted SBIR Award with the US Department of Energy(September 22, 2021. St. Louis, MO) - For the second funding cycle in a row, Dr. Alice Prince has received support from the US Department of Energy to do her life’s work, close the wealth gap for disenfranchised communities and create generational wealth opportunities for minority populations. If you’ve glanced at Prince’s career profile, of course, you will find workforce development, innovative youth programming, diversity and inclusion seminars, and Black women in Bioenergy!! All of these accolades and accomplishments resonate with her fundamental call to action, creating opportunities for an underserved population to have an OPPORTUNITY at the table, as “the seat, for most minority populations, is still inaccessible.”With the first award in July 2020, Pathways United crushed initial goals and markers. The company unearthed extreme interest from minority populations with over 75% being female participants, garnering double minority demographics, but more importantly, showcasing the innovation of people with intellectual property, but no canvas. As of September 2021, according to Pathways United Senior Entrepreneur Support Specialist, Greta Moore, over 90% of Pathways United participants are labeled African American, and of that estimated 90%, 62% of the participants identify as female. The validated metrics from Pathways United are astounding in the energy sector, considering, according to the International Energy Association (IEA.org), women are listed in less than 11% of patent applications related to the energy sector. The energy sector remains one of the least gender diverse sectors and closing this gender gap will be vital as women are key drivers of innovative and inclusive solutions.Pathways United has created a program which intentionally and aggressively seeks and supports minorities with innovation, expertise, and desire to tackle one of humanity's greatest challenges.A clean energy transition will require innovative solutions, business models to be adopted, and greater participation from a diverse talent pool. With this latest partnership with the Department of Energy, Dr. Prince is hyper focused on solving this problem of environmental racism while addressing the labor shortage in the bioenergy sector. She fervently believes this lofty goal can be achieved, and is quoted saying, “Investment in a diverse workforce is our country’s renewable energy and resource.”Pathways United is a full-service consulting agency that specializes in workforce, education, and youth programs. The team takes a human-centered approach to help organizations innovate and grow in entrepreneurship, bioenergy, and diversity and inclusion sectors. We use a holistic approach to model the commitment for continued professional growth, including leadership mindset, positive and solution-oriented strategies, data analysis, and reflective thinking.http://www.pathwaysuninted.orghttps://www.linkedin.com/company/pathways-united/https://www.instagram.com/pathwaysunited/https://www.facebook.com/pathwaysunitedhttps://twitter.com/pathways_united