Founded in the mid-1990s to help address the social, academic, and spiritual needs of at-risk and disenfranchised African American and biracial children in the greater Madison area, the Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development aims to transform the face of leadership in Madison by empowering African American families and African American males. Through its Economic Development program, the nonprofit works to generate new investment in Madison neighborhoods and to boost entrepreneurship and community wealth building in the African American community. In 2016, it plans to launch a Minority Entrepreneur Loan Fund to support emerging entrepreneurs. With hundreds of ex-offenders returning to Dane County every year, Nehemiah also provides comprehensive re-entry services, including housing and around 100 job placements each year at local businesses.