Industry & Member News

Ethiopian native, Alfa Demmellash is helping low-income entrepreneurs in New Jersey start and grow their business. In just three years, Rising Tide Captial has provided training and support to over 250 individuals, most of them single mothers.

To highlight the production of artist spaces in an emerging framework of cultural equity, where artists are key stakeholders and contributors in community building and revitalization, the Space for Change program will begin by launching the MetLife Innovative Space Awards (ISA). In November 2009, up to five winning ISA projects will receive awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to recognize and promote successful artist spaces that exhibit innovation, affordability, sustainability and positive community impact.

Additionally, the Ford Foundation Space for Change Predevelopment Grants will award grants to new projects in the early stages of planning that demonstrate the same commitment to creating affordable artist spaces. Guidelines for these grants will be made available in spring 2010.

What role does efficiency play in achieving sustainability? Learn how one microenterprise lending program is using efficiency strategies in an effort to increase sustainability while scaling up. Attend a free Webinar hosted by FIELD on Thursday, June 25, 2009 from 12:30-2:00 p.m. (EDT).

Is your CDFI focused on local neighborhood priorities and interested in leadership training? Consider applying to Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Grant. Applications for our Neighborhood Builders awards are accepted beginning January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009 (8 p.m. Eastern Time).

Watch this CNN video that features Opportunity Fund and one of its star clients, Bay Area Medical Academy. This is a growing company which has actually been creating jobs throughout the recession.

ACCION USA and Opportunity Fund joined kiva.org, the world's first person-to-person microlending Website, in its pilot expansion in the United States.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Texas Mezzanine Fund will be co-sponsoring this seminar at the Houston Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. The event is also being held in partnership with the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, and the Texas Association of Community Development Corporations.

The seminar is geared to financial institutions and their community development partners seeking ways to manage and mitigate risk in the rapidly changing economic environment. In addition to Ms. Wentzler, speakers include Donna Gambrell, Director of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund in the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

CFED’s Self-Employment Tax Initiative (SETI) seeks proposals exploring effective ways to serve the tax preparation and related business planning needs of low-income, start-up self-employed businesses. Managers of microenterprise development programs, community-based free tax preparation programs and coalitions of these programs are encouraged to apply.

Register now for SJF's Summit on the New Green Economy: How to Make it Work. After four successful annual Cleantech CEO Panels in New York, SJF is expanding its event to take into account the breadth of changes happening in this economic climate, and its growing base of constituents, including entrepreneurs, investors, government and community leaders. The event will feature Mark Pinksy of OFN.

Seizing the opportunity presented by a new administration in Washington, and reacting to the impact of a changing economy, a group of leading microenterprise thinkers, funders, practitioners and intermediaries came together in early 2009 to suggest a vision and an action plan for the field. Their input is summarized in a new report from FIELD, Moving the Microenterprise Field Forward: Priorities, Strategies and Roles.