Founded in January 1999, the Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) is a collaboration of the Gateway Institute at Kean University (New Jersey), the City of Elizabeth, its residents, businesses, and community based organizations.

Kean University students, faculty, and administrators work with COPC and its agency partners to implement programs that promote social and economic self-sufficiency in inner-city Elizabeth.

COPC is funded largely by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD's Office of University Partnerships (OUP) serves as a catalyst for developing university-community partnerships nationwide and monitors COPC activities. As COPC's host institution, Kean University provides the project with major financial and technical assistance. The City of Elizabeth, the Elizabeth Development Company, and Catholic Community Services contributes in-kind and additional financial support.

City of Elizabeth; Elizabeth Development Company; Kean University Small Business Development Center (SBDC); PROCEED, Inc.; YMCA of Eastern Union County; the Elizabethport Presbyterian Center; Catholic Community Services: Community Coordinated Child Care of Union County; Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth; Jersey Gardens Mall Retail Skills Center; Elizabeth Avenue Partnership; Brand New Day, Inc.; Union County Economic Development Corporation; U.S. Department of Labor; Elizabeth Historic Midtown Special Improvement District; Junior Achievement.

The COPC Virtual Small Business Incubator is the one-stop free business assistance source for Elizabeth residents who want to start or expand a business. As part of the Gateway Institute and its Small Business Development Center, the Incubator:

• provides free one on one counseling and the use of office equipment to any Elizabeth business owner or start up prospect
• assists business clients in market research, business plan development, and locating suitable financing
• encourages and helps businesses to relocate in Elizabeth and to hire its residents
• creates opportunities for Elizabeth youth to begin microenterprise operations
• initiates and administers apprenticeship programs for youth interested in working in business settings or in learning a trade
• promotes responsible personal and business financial planning habits