Microenterprise Collaborative of Inland Southern California

The Microenterprise Collaborative builds the entrepreneurial ecosystem by:

Maximizing the outreach and marketing of small business programs so entrepreneurs can find the resources and capital they need. Our Business Assistance Tool and our revamped website with its “How-to” Business Guides are our front-line assistance to those looking for information and capital about business ownership. Now hundreds of business owners visit our website for help every month. www.microbizinsocal.org

Building the capacity of nonprofit business development programs by acting as a funding intermediary to facilitate the flow of financial support for this critical work.

Expanding micro-business development in underserved areas. The Microenterprise Collaborative has been leading the effort to expand small business development for low and moderate-income residents and businesses in the Inland Empire.

Exploring ways to support micro-business owners becoming employers for the first time or looking to rehire. The Microenterprise Collaborative conducted research to determine what prevented business owners from expanding their businesses by hiring and supported the implementation of a pilot program operated by the IE Women’s Business Centers called “Taking the Leap: from Entrepreneur to Employer.” In 2020, the research was conducted, and preliminary findings are listed on our website: https://microbizinsocal.org/micro-businesses-create-jobs/ The results of the pilot cohort program and recommendations for future programming will be published this year.

Raising public awareness of the importance of micro-business development by hosting regional meetings of the collaborative network of small business providers, and planning and presenting with the FDIC, Federal Reserve, and OCC at the IE Community Development Forum.
We are pleased to report the results of the extraordinary efforts in 2020 of the Collaborative’s small business programs in the region include nearly 19,000 small business owners received training and counseling, 754 jobs were created, and nearly 200 businesses were launched. 1,025 business owners accessed capital for a total of $34, 240,866 in 2020.

For 2022, the Microenterprise Collaborative has committed to launching a marketing campaign to improve outreach and access to business resources and capital which includes; radio PSAs, social media ad buys, op-eds, expanded search engine optimization, and videos, all in English and Spanish.

1.Create a set of communications tools for Small Business Programs,
Financial Institutions, Government Agencies, and Foundations that
demonstrate the value of the Collaborative in achieving the mutual goal
of supporting small business development in the region.
2.Expand the use of the Small Business Assistance Tool by securing
agreements with at least five Government Agency Partners to include the
Collaborative’s webtool on their webpages.
3.Convene the network of Small Business Programs in at least three locations
by June 30, 2022, to support collaboration and to determine the capacity
building needs of the network.
4.Based on the information gleaned during the network convenings, provide a
program that addresses the capacity building needs of the Small Business
Programs by December 31, 2022.
5.Secure foundation funding, expertise, and communication tools that help Small
Business Programs improve their marketing and outreach to small business
owners.
6.Provide at least three public education programs for Financial Institutions that
demonstrate the small business owner referral and development process.
7.Secure the staffing and funding necessary to implement the 2022 Action
Steps of the Strategic Plan.

We are pleased to report the results of the extraordinary efforts in 2020 of the Collaborative’s small business programs in the region include nearly 19,000 small business owners received training and counseling, 754 jobs were created, and nearly 200 businesses were launched. 1,025 business owners accessed capital for a total of $34, 240,866 in 2020.