Centro awarded an eBay Foundation Global Give grant for the third year!

At Centro Community Partners, we are thrilled to announce that we have been selected once again as recipients of the eBay Foundation Global Give grant for the year 2023. This marks the third time we've had the honor of receiving this generous grant, and we are immensely grateful to the eBay Foundation for their continued support of our mission to empower low-income women and minority entrepreneurs.

Last year, we were fortunate to be among the grantees of the 2022 Global Give grant program, and this support played a pivotal role in enabling us to make significant strides in advancing access to capital, offering personalized business advisory services, and providing capacity-building programs to other nonprofits. Through this collaboration, we were able to collectively impact the lives of over 150 underrepresented entrepreneurs in both the Bay Area and New York City, fostering growth and economic opportunity in communities that needed it the most.

The eBay Foundation has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to promoting entrepreneurship among historically marginalized groups. Since its inception in 1998, the foundation has been partnering with nonprofit organizations dedicated to dismantling barriers to entrepreneurship for individuals from diverse backgrounds. Their belief that successful entrepreneurs contribute to more resilient and vibrant communities aligns seamlessly with our own mission.

We are committed to making the most of this year's Global Give grant to continue our vital work in empowering women and minority entrepreneurs. 

Thank you once again to the eBay Foundation for their unwavering support. Together, we are making a difference, serving one entrepreneur at a time!
You can learn more about the eBay Global Give grant here.

2023 Q2 Update

We are excited to share some updates regarding our impact in helping entrepreneurs access training, coaching and capital. You can now see our latest impact statistics on our Overview page. We also want to celebrate and thank you for your support on the pre-sale campaign of Arturo’s new book.

ENTREPRENEURS SERVED

In the first half of 2023, we served 551 entrepreneurs, 167 of whom attended our training programs.

Through our programs, the Capital Hub and our app, we are on track to help more than 1,089 entrepreneurs by the end of this year.

As we continuously strive to support entrepreneurs, we are excited to introduce the beta version of our latest initiative: the Online Self-Paced Bootcamp. This innovative and flexible learning opportunity is specifically designed for entrepreneurs who are unable to attend a scheduled online course or prefer to learn at their own pace. With a range of self-paced learning modules that include video and written lessons, this beta version provides a valuable opportunity for individuals to engage in independent study and shape the future direction of the program.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL

Our Capital Hub has been helping entrepreneurs access interest-free loans through Kiva, and we are proud to announce that over the last three months, we helped 23 entrepreneurs receive a total of $211,000 in Kiva loans.

We have significantly improved the repayment rate to 89% (from 69% in 2019), showing the commitment of borrowers to pay their loans on time, as well as the positive use of the Centro Business Planning App. All borrowers that are not backed by an organization are required to go to the business planning activities on our app which help them think through their business model, which mitigates the risk of them falling behind on repayments.

This achievement not only highlights their dedication to the success of their businesses but also emphasizes the effectiveness of our support systems, including the Centro Business Planning App.

Through the SEED initiative, Immigrants Rising offers grants to entrepreneurs who are starting or growing a business in California. The opportunity is intended for undocumented individuals and people who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporoary Protected Status (TPS), as well as those with limited English proficiency. This funding aims to empower immigrants to become successful business owners, contributing to the local economy and their communities. The Centro Capital Hub was able to provide support with the application process and helped 7 entrepreneurs apply for the Immigrants Rising’s SEED $5,000 Grant.

ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE

Our team of coaches has been working to provide one-on-one coaching to 113 entrepreneurs in the first half of this year to support them in specific challenges with their businesses. We are on track to support 226 entrepreneurs by the end of the year.

We have provided a total of 13,406 hours of coaching since we started, and in 2023, we have already provided 186 hours of coaching to entrepreneurs in many locations, with most of them located in Oakland, San Jose, Santa Clara, Stockton and other Bay Area counties.

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THE PRE-SALE OF “IN PURSUIT OF A NOBLE CAUSE” NEW BOOK BY ARTURO NORIEGA

We're happy to share that Arturo Noriega's pre-sale campaign for his upcoming book, "In Pursuit of a Noble Cause" has been a resounding success!

During the pre-order period, Arturo received overwhelming support from eager readers and advocates of positive change. By securing a pre-order, you have not only demonstrated your enthusiasm for this exceptional book but have also ensured that you will be among the first to receive it upon its release in September.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the supporters who participated in Arturo Noriega's pre-sale campaign. Your unwavering enthusiasm and commitment have played an instrumental role in making this campaign a resounding success. By pre-ordering the book, you have secured your place as one of the first recipients when it officially releases in September.

As we eagerly await the release of "In Pursuit of a Noble Cause," let us celebrate Arturo's triumph and anticipate the invaluable wisdom that awaits us within the pages of this remarkable book.

Socio destacado de E-Suite: Urban Business Support

To read in English, click here

Hoy queremos destacar a uno de nuestros socios destacados de E-Suite, Urban Business Suppor, una organización sin fines de lucro con sede en Washington dedicada a apoyar a empresas propiedad de mujeres y minorías.

Oliver Scott es el director ejecutivo de Urban Business Support. Su misión es brindar capacitación en planificación empresarial y asistencia financiera a pequeñas empresas. Urban Business Support cree firmemente que las inversiones en comunidades de bajos ingresos deben beneficiar a las personas que viven y trabajan allí.

"Nuestra visión es el desarrollo sin desplazamiento. Creemos que la inversión en comunidades de bajos ingresos debe beneficiar a las personas que viven y trabajan allí. Y nuestra misión es brindar capacitación en planificación empresarial a empresas en vecindarios en proceso de gentrificación. También brindamos asistencia financiera en forma de subvenciones a estos propietarios de negocios". - Oliver

El Camino de Construir Una Organización

Urban Business Support ha sido nuestro socio de E-Suite desde 2018. Oliver recordó su relación de larga data con Centro Community Partners, ya que conoce a Arturo Noriega, fundador y CEO de Centro, desde que se fundó la organización.

Compartió cómo Urban Business Support comenzó a utilizar la Centro Business Planning App y nuestro plan de estudios para brindar una capacitación integral en planificación empresarial a sus emprendedores. La asociación con Centro desempeñó un papel crucial para que Urban Business Support despegara, brindándoles orientación y materiales.

"Comencé a impartir capacitación en planificación empresarial y conocía la aplicación de planificación empresarial de Centro. Inmediatamente fui a hablar con Arturo y Naldo al respecto, ya que sabía que quería usar la aplicación. Así que cuando decidí comenzar una organización, contacté de inmediato a Centro. De lo contrario, no conocía a nadie más a quien quisiera usar para el plan de estudios, y no quería diseñar el mío propio, por lo que Centro proporcionó la solución perfecta, la Suite de Emprendimiento. Y gracias a eso pude comenzar esta organización". - Oliver

Desatando el potencial EMPRENDEDOR

Urban Business Support se enfoca principalmente en servir a empresas propiedad de mujeres y minorías en vecindarios en transición. Oliver reconoce los desafíos que enfrentan los emprendedores en estas comunidades, particularmente en el acceso a capital. Para abordar esto, Urban Business Support inició un programa de subvenciones para ofrecer asistencia financiera a emprendedores que a menudo no son elegibles para préstamos tradicionales. Ofrecen $5,000 al mejor plan de negocios entre sus graduados. Este apoyo financiero no solo ayuda a los emprendedores a superar las barreras de financiamiento, sino que también les proporciona los recursos necesarios para prosperar y tener éxito en sus emprendimientos comerciales.

Urban Business Support se dedica a empoderar a los emprendedores y realiza anualmente doce campamentos y cuatro programas de emprendimiento con el plan de estudios de Centro. Los campamentos, diseñados para ser intensivos y eficientes en tiempo, brindan a los participantes una versión condensada de la capacitación en planificación empresarial utilizando la aplicación de planificación empresarial de Centro. Por otro lado, los programas de emprendimiento ofrecen un plan de estudios más completo, equipando a los participantes con una comprensión más profunda de varios aspectos del desarrollo empresarial.

Desde su fundación, Urban Business Support ha capacitado con éxito a un impresionante grupo de aproximadamente 300 emprendedores. "Mi primer objetivo era capacitar a 100 emprendedores, y llegamos a 75. Nuestro segundo año, lo hicimos muy bien, capacitando a unos 160".

Solo en el año fiscal actual, 70 emprendedores ya se han beneficiado de los programas transformadores de Urban Business Support. Esto demuestra el compromiso de la organización de fomentar un ecosistema empresarial próspero y empoderar a las personas para que logren sus objetivos comerciales.

Afrontando desafíos y construyendo hacia metas futuras

A pesar de sus logros, Oliver reconoció los desafíos que enfrentan al mantener asociaciones de referencia, lo que resultó en una ligera disminución en la participación en los programas. Oliver se mantiene firme en sus esfuerzos por restaurar estas asociaciones y cumplir con el objetivo de capacitar a 250 emprendedores para este año fiscal. Oliver enfatizó que Urban Business Support ofrece subvenciones de $5,000 para premiar el plan de negocios más ejemplar de sus emprendedores graduados, brindando un poderoso incentivo para el éxito empresarial.

Oliver también enfatizó que el apoyo de Centro Community Partners, especialmente a través de su aplicación y plan de estudios, desempeñó un papel vital en el éxito de Urban Business Support. El plan de estudios y el apoyo de Centro permitieron a Urban Business Support aprovechar su potencial para lograr un impacto positivo. Oliver también compartió que ha recomendado la E-Suite de Centro a otras organizaciones, reconociendo el valor que ofrece al empoderar a los emprendedores.

Urban Business Support, bajo el liderazgo de Oliver Scott, ha logrado avances significativos en el empoderamiento de emprendedores en vecindarios en proceso de gentrificación. A través de su asociación con Centro, han podido brindar valiosa capacitación en planificación empresarial y asistencia financiera, ayudando a los emprendedores a hacer realidad sus sueños al tiempo que contribuyen al desarrollo de la comunidad. Con su compromiso con el crecimiento inclusivo y su dedicación a su misión, Urban Business Support continúa creando un impacto duradero en las comunidades a las que sirven.

"Si no fuera por Centro, no habría podido iniciar la organización. La aplicación de planificación empresarial de Centro es increíble, cubre los conceptos básicos de un plan de negocios, y podemos hacerlo en un campamento intensivo de un día. Si no fuera por la aplicación y el plan de estudios de Centro, no estaríamos donde estamos hoy". - Oliver Scott

Si desea obtener más información sobre cómo también podemos ayudar a su organización, contáctenos en esuite@centrocommunity.org. ¡También estaremos encantados de responder cualquier pregunta sobre nuestro plan de estudios actual, herramientas de aprendizaje y enseñanza y el apoyo que brindamos a las organizaciones!

Featured E-Suite Partner: Urban Business Support

Para leer en español, haz click aquí

Today we want to highlight one of our Featured E-Suite Partners, Urban Business Support, a non-profit organization based in Washington dedicated to supporting women and minority-owned businesses.

Oliver Scott, is the Executive Director of Urban Business Support. Their mission is to provide business plan training and financial assistance to small businesses. Urban Business Support firmly believes that investments in low-income communities should benefit the people who live and work there.

“Our vision is development without displacement. We believe that investment in low-income communities should come to the benefit of the people who live and work there. And our mission is to provide business plan training to businesses in gentrifying neighborhoods. We also provide financial assistance in the form of grants to these business owners.” - Oliver

The Journey of Building an Organization

Urban Business Support has been our E-Suite Partner since 2018. Oliver recounted his longstanding relationship with Centro Community Partners, having known Arturo Noriega, Founder and CEO of Centro since the organization was founded. 

He shared how Urban Business Support started using Centro Business Planning App and our curriculum to provide comprehensive business plan training to their entrepreneurs. The partnership with Centro played a crucial role in getting Urban Business Support off the ground, providing them with guidance and materials.
“I started doing business plan training, and I knew about the Centro Business Planning App. I immediately went to Arturo and Naldo to talk about it, as I knew that I wanted to use the app. So when I decided to start an organization, I immediately contacted Centro first. Otherwise, I didn't know of anybody else that I wanted to use for the curriculum, and I didn't want to design my own, so Centro provided the perfect solution for it, the Entrepreneurship Suite. And thanks to that I was able to start this organization.” - Oliver

Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential

Urban Business Support primarily focuses on serving women and minority-owned businesses in transitioning neighborhoods. Oliver acknowledges the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in these communities, particularly in accessing capital. To address this, Urban Business Support initiated a grant program to offer financial assistance to entrepreneurs who are often ineligible for traditional loans. They offer $5,000 to the best business plan among their graduates. This financial support not only helps entrepreneurs overcome funding barriers but also provides them with the necessary resources to thrive and succeed in their business ventures.

Urban Business Support is dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs and annually conducts  twelve boot camps and four entrepreneurship programs with Centro’s curriculum. The bootcamps, designed to be intensive and time-efficient, provide participants with a condensed version of the business plan training using the Centro Business Planning App. On the other hand, the entrepreneurship programs offer a more comprehensive curriculum, equipping participants with a deeper understanding of various aspects of business development.

Since its foundation, Urban Business Support has successfully trained an impressive cohort of approximately 300 entrepreneurs. “My first goal was to train 100 entrepreneurs, and we made it to 75. Our second year, we did really well, training about 160.”

In the current fiscal year alone, 70 entrepreneurs have already benefited from Urban Business Support’s transformative programs. This demonstrates the organization's commitment to fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and empowering individuals to achieve their business goals.

Embracing Challenges and Building Towards Future Goals

Despite their achievements, Oliver acknowledged the challenges faced in maintaining referral partnerships, which resulted in a slight decline in program participation. Oliver remains resolute in his efforts to restore these partnerships and fulfill their objective of training 250 entrepreneurs for this fiscal year. Oliver emphasized that Urban Business Support grants of $5,000 to award the most exemplary business plan from their graduating entrepreneurs, providing a powerful incentive for entrepreneurial success.

Oliver also emphasized that the support from Centro Community Partners, especially through their app and curriculum, played a vital role in Urban Business Supports success. Centro's curriculum and support enabled Urban Business Support to secure their potential for positive impact. Oliver also shared that he has recommended Centro Entrepreneurship Suite to other organizations, recognizing the value it offers in empowering entrepreneurs.

Urban Business Support, under the leadership of Oliver Scott, has made significant strides in empowering entrepreneurs in gentrifying neighborhoods. Through their partnership with Centro, they have been able to provide valuable business plan training and financial assistance, helping entrepreneurs realize their dreams while contributing to community development. With their commitment to inclusive growth and dedication to their mission, Urban Business Support continues to create a lasting impact in the communities they serve.

“If it wasn't for Centro, I wouldn't have been able to get the organization started. The Centro Business Planning App is amazing, it covers the basics of a business plan, and we're able to do it in a Bootcamp in just one day. If it weren't for the App and for Centro's curriculum we wouldn't be where we are today.” - Oliver Scott

If you want to learn more about how we can also help your organization, please contact us at esuite@centrocommunity.org. We are also happy to answer any questions about our current curriculum, learning and teaching tools, and the support we provide to organizations!

Quarterly Capital Hub Update

In this quarterly Capital Hub update, we are excited to share the latest updates of the Centro Capital Hub. We will provide an overview of the capital accessed by our entrepreneurs, highlight the progress in repayment rates with Kiva, and discuss the demographics of our entrepreneurs accessing capital through our hub.

2023 QUARTERLY CAPITAL HUB UPDATE

From January to May, we have continued to support small businesses by facilitating access to capital. Through our Centro Capital Hub, we are proud to announce that we have helped secure a total of $120,500 in Kiva loans. This capital has been distributed among 15 deserving entrepreneurs who are determined to fuel the growth of their businesses.

REPAYMENT RATE: STRONG COMMITMENT TO SUCCESS

We have significantly improved the repayment rate to 89% (from 69% in 2019), showing the commitment of borrowers to pay their loans on time, as well as the positive use of the Centro Business Planning App. All borrowers that are not backed by an organization are required to go to the business planning activities on our app which help them think through their business model, which mitigates the risk of them falling behind on repayments.

We are pleased to report that our borrowers have showcased exceptional commitment to repay their Kiva loans promptly. With an impressive repayment rate of 88.5%, we have witnessed firsthand the determination and responsible financial practices demonstrated by the entrepreneurs we support. 
This achievement not only highlights their dedication to the success of their businesses but also emphasizes the effectiveness of our support systems, including the Centro Business Planning App.

CAPITAL HUB DEMOGRAPHICS: BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE ECOSYSTEM

At Centro, we strive to create an inclusive ecosystem that empowers entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds. In line with our mission, the businesses that have accessed our Capital Hub during 2023 continue to be led by a remarkable group of individuals:

• Women: Nine of the businesses accessing our Capital Hub are led by women. We are proud to support these visionary women who are making significant strides in their respective industries.

• Immigrants and People of Color (POC): Twelve of the businesses accessing our Capital Hub are led by immigrants and individuals from various POC communities. Their dedication to entrepreneurship and their determination to succeed in a new environment inspire us all.

• Latinx: Ten Latinx entrepreneurs have leveraged the resources of our Capital Hub to fuel their businesses. We celebrate their contributions to the local economy and the vibrant cultural tapestry of our communities.

• Black: Two Black entrepreneurs have accessed our Capital Hub, bringing forth their unique perspectives and expertise to drive innovation and positive change.

We are honored to work with such a diverse group of entrepreneurs who are breaking barriers and forging their own paths in the small business world. Centro remains committed to providing equal opportunities and resources to entrepreneurs from all backgrounds, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to thrive.

GRANTS

Through the SEED initiative, Immigrants Rising offers grants to entrepreneurs who are starting or growing a business in California. The opportunity is intended for undocumented individuals and people who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporoary Protected Status (TPS), as well as those with limited English proficiency. This funding aims to empower immigrants to become successful business owners, contributing to the local economy and their communities. The Centro Capital Hub was able to provide support with the application process and helped 7 entrepreneurs apply for the Immigrants Rising’s SEED $5,000 Grant.

Please let us know if you or someone you know is interested in accessing a Kiva loan or have any questions. Carlo Arellano, Capital Access Manager: KivaUS@centrocommunity.org

2023 Q1 Update

We are excited to share some updates regarding our impact in helping entrepreneurs access training, coaching and capital, as well as an announcement of our a new book by Centro’s Founder and CEO, Arturo Noriega. You can now see our latest impact statistics on our Overview page.

ENTREPRENEURS SERVED

In the first quarter of 2023, we served 287 entrepreneurs, 46 of whom attended our training programs.

Through our programs, the Capital Hub and our app, we are on track to help more than 1,105 entrepreneurs by the end of this year.

As we are continuously searching for new ways to support entrepreneurs, we are soon introducing the new Online Self-Paced Bootcamp, an innovative and flexible learning opportunity designed for entrepreneurs who are unable to attend a scheduled online course or prefer to learn at their own pace. With self-paced learning modules that include video and written lessons, independent study is made easy for those who learn best through this approach.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL

Our Capital Hub has been helping entrepreneurs access interest-free loans through Kiva, and we are proud to announce that over the last three months, we helped seven entrepreneurs receive a total of $63,000 in Kiva loans.

Kiva US announced they are now introducing the ability for entrepreneurs to build their credit as they pay back their Kiva loans.

If you are an entrepreneur with crowdfunding on Kiva.org, your loan profile will indicate that you will be building business credit with the help of this Kiva loan.

Commercial reporting has no restrictions on any type of business, but it is greatly important that you provide Kiva with your accurate business information, as this information is used to generate the credit report.

Decisions related to finances are affected by the information present in your business credit report, including:

• The extent of business credit a supplier will offer

• What repayment terms you can expect from other lenders

• What interest rates you’ll be charged from other lenders

• The credit or funding you may receive from a bank or lender

• How your business is perceived by your customers

Read more here.

ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE

Our team of coaches has been working to provide one-on-one assistance to entrepreneurs to support them in specific challenges with their businesses.

We have provided a total of 13,300 hours of coaching since we started, and in 2023, we have already provided 85 hours of coaching to entrepreneurs in many locations, with most of them located in Oakland, San Jose, Santa Clara, Stockton and other Bay Area counties. By the end of the year, we anticipate providing a total of 254 hours of coaching.

IN PURSUIT OF A NOBLE CAUSE: A NEW BOOK BY ARTURO NORIEGA

We're excited to announce that Arturo Noriega, the founder and CEO of Centro Community Partners, has written a new book called "In Pursuit of a Noble Cause." This book shares Arturo's experiences and lessons learned while starting and leading Centro. Through his work, he discovered how to create more racial and gender equity in our society through entrepreneurship.

"In Pursuit of a Noble Cause" is a practical guide to help readers start and grow a mission-driven, community-focused social enterprise or nonprofit . The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Arturo shares his personal journey and the lessons he learned from starting and leading Centro. In the second part, he explores the theory of change framework and how to apply it to social entrepreneurship. In the third part, he provides practical insights into social leadership and innovation.

The book is currently available for pre-order here until May 11. By pre-ordering the book, you'll be among the first to receive it when it's released in September.

2022 Summary Update

We are excited to share a high level summary of our work during 2022.

In addition to summaries of entrepreneurs served, the Centro Business Planning App, access to capital and one-on-one assistance, you can also see an overview look at our impact report here.

ENTREPRENEURS SERVED

In 2022, 467 entrepreneurs attended our programs, 356 of whom graduated. We had a total of 47 programs in English and Spanish, from which 27 were Bootcamps, 16 were Basic Entrepreneurship programs, and 4 were Advanced Entrepreneurship Programs. Learn more about our entrepreneurs and their success stories here.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL

Thanks to the support of the Centro Capital Hub, last year we helped small business owners access $1,464,500 to start and grow their businesses. 
We helped provide access to 70 Kiva loans for a total of $684,000 through our Alameda and San Francisco Kiva Hubs. We also helped 13 entrepreneurs access $80,000 in grants, as well as 5 entrepreneurs access $700,000 in larger small business loans.

ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE

In 2022 we provided 719 hours of 1-on-1 assistance to 237 entrepreneurs. The majority of entrepreneurs were located in Oakland & Alameda County (37%), followed by San Jose and Santa Clara County (21%), Stockton and San Joaquin County (14%), other Bay Area Counties (10%) and other locations (18%).

CENTRO BUSINESS PLANNING APP

In 2022, we continued our work on improving the Centro Business Planning App, and we released an important app update. With the latest version of the app, entrepreneurs can now see local lenders and resources on the app in multiple languages. They will see resources that offer support in their language at the top of the list and other options that might not offer in their languages below.

Also, entrepreneurs can now update their email addresses if something changes or if they had a typo when they originally created their accounts. As entrepreneurs sign up for and use the app, they are asked to validate their email to ensure that their Business Plans and the emails connecting them to resources are sent to the right place.

We also released an App Demo video, were entrepreneurs and organizations can see how easy it is to use the app and all the features it offers, from helping entrepreneurs create their Business Plans to connect with local organizations that can help with funding and business resources.

ANNUAL UPDATE 2023

2023 ANNUAL REPORT UPDATE

We are excited to share that in 2023, we provided access to 48 Kiva loans for a total of $480,000 through our Kiva Hubs. Additionally, we helped 7 entrepreneurs access grants through the SEED initiative, Immigrants Rising (for a total of $35,000).

In 2023 Kiva launched the Endorsement Incentive program to allow endorsed applicants to receive the full loan amount they apply for. The Centro Capital Hub helped 17 entrepreneurs benefit from the  Endorsement Incentive program, receiving the maximum loan amount of up to $15,000. Kiva recently started offering borrowers the opportunity to build business credit through Kiva, and 15% of our borrowers are building credit through their Kiva loans.

In 2023, we focused on connecting entrepreneurs with different sources of capital, including loans, grants, and 1-1 business coaching services. Our primary motivation was to create more significant links with local resources and take advantage of the different alternatives offered by the market to keep small businesses in operation. 30% of Kiva loan applicants are Centro graduates.

Another essential change last year was to bring a closer connection between our Capital Hub, workshops, and 1-on-1 business advising support to address the different challenges small businesses faced. Lastly, we added new functionality to the Centro Business Planning App to help entrepreneurs easily discover and connect with local resources, including microlenders and Centro for Kiva loans.

We have continued to improve the repayment rate to 88% (from 69% in 2019), showing the commitment of borrowers to pay their loans on time, as well as the positive use of the Centro Business Planning App. All borrowers not backed by an organization are required to go to the business planning activities on our app, which helps them think through their business model which mitigates the risk of them falling behind on repayments.

The businesses that accessed our Centro Capital Hub are mainly led by women (72%), immigrants (60%), people of color, Latinx (55%), and Black (38%).

BUILD CREDIT WITH KIVA

Kiva US announced they are now introducing the ability for entrepreneurs to build their credit as they pay back their Kiva loans. 

If you are an entrepreneur with crowdfunding on Kiva.org, your loan profile will indicate that you will be building business credit with the help of this Kiva loan.

Commercial reporting has no restrictions on any type of business, but it is essential that you provide Kiva with your accurate business information, as this information is used to generate the credit report.

 Decisions related to finances are affected by the information present in your business credit report, including:

•  The extent of business credit a supplier will offer

• What repayment terms you can expect from other lenders

• What interest rates you’ll be charged by other lenders

•  The credit or funding you may receive from a bank or lender

•  How your customers perceive your business

Read more here.

CAROLINA SHARES WITH US HER EXPERIENCE WITH HER KIVA CAMPAIGN!

Meet Carolina, owner of Metanoia Zone LLC, a company dedicated to the personal growth and development of teenagers and their parents; they offer courses in 5 areas of development and 1:1 coaching sessions.

Carolina is an immigrant woman born in Caracas, Venezuela. She studied marketing and bioanalysis, which allowed her to develop skills such as team leadership, conferences and speaking engagements, and coaching. She’s the co-owner of Metanoia Zone LLC, a company dedicated to supporting mothers of teenagers in resolving family and relationship conflicts. Carolina expresses, “As a mother, coach, NLP Practitioner, and speaker, I can bring value to parents and teens through the e-learning platform created mainly to address their main challenges.”

This Kiva loan is helping Carolina scale and purchase all the necessary technology to provide a quality service. Specifically, funds will go to buying inventory and hiring an employee and an assistant accountant.

Learn more about her Kiva campaign here.

Please let us know if you or someone you know is interested in accessing a Kiva loan or have any questions. Carlo Arellano, Capital Access Manager: carlo@centrocommunity.org

Quarterly Capital Hub Update

In this quarterly Capital Hub update we’ll share some of our accomplishments, a new video about the Kiva process, how entrepreneurs can build their credit through Kiva loans, and the stories of two entrepreneurs who finished their Kiva campaigns.

QUARTERLY UPDATE

Since the start of 2022, we have helped 66 entrepreneurs access a total of $658,000 in Kiva loans through Centro’s Kiva Hubs. We also helped 13 entrepreneurs access $80,000 in grants, as well as 5 entrepreneurs access $700,000 in larger small business loans with local CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions).

FIND OUT HOW TO GET A 0% INTEREST LOAN

We are excited to share our new Capital Hub video that explains the process of getting a 0% interest Kiva loan and how we can support you through the process:

Over the last three months, the Centro Capital Hub helped 15 entrepreneurs access a total of $162,000 in interest-free loans through Kiva.

BUILD CREDIT WITH KIVA

Kiva US has recently announced they are now introducing building credit to their platform. 

If you are an entrepreneur with crowdfunding on Kiva.org, your loan profile will indicate that you will be building business credit with the help of this Kiva loan.

Commercial reporting has no restrictions on any type of business, but it is greatly important that you provide Kiva with your accurate business information, as this information is used to generate the credit report.

The following financial decisions are impacted by the information contained in my business credit report:

• How much business credit a supplier will extend to you

• What repayment terms you’ll receive

• What interest rates you’ll pay

• How much credit or funding a bank or lender will extend to you

• How your customers view your business

Read more here.

BERNADETTE AND DANIEL ARE SET FOR SUCCESS AFTER GETTING THEIR KIVA LOAN!

Meet Bernadette and Daniel, two amazing entrepreneurs who received $9,500 and $15,000 Kiva loans to grow their businesses in the Bay Area:

BERNADETTE,

OWNER INA BOTANICALS & TEA

Bernadette is a daughter of immigrants from the Philippines who grew up in San Francisco. She’s the owner of INA Botanicals & Tea, an herbal and specialty tea company committed to supporting women's personal growth and wellness.

“I've studied herbs and blended teas for pleasure and individual wellness in the past few years. Last year, I launched INA Botanicals & Tea and learned more about how to develop the products, brand, and position their value. The next step is to grow and share herbs' supportive and delicious properties on a larger scale.” - Bernadette

This Kiva loan is helping Bernadette scale and become more available online and in stores. It provides funding for dried herbal ingredients and enables INA to hire a sales consultant to help get the product on store shelves, starting with the West Coast.
See Bernadette Kiva Campaign here.

DANIEL,

OWNER OASIS DESIGNS

Daniel is the founder of Oasis Design, a professional creative home design studio that promotes sustainable home development for the Bay Area communities, and graduated from Centro Basic Entrepreneurship program.

“I grew up in a family of creative craftsmen, mostly cabinet and furniture makers From my grandfather to my father and uncles, I always enjoyed watching them construct and create beautiful elements and admired their tenacity to run their own businesses. It was through my father’s creative thinking and hard work that we were able to migrate to the US, and I always worked with him in his construction business. ” - Daniel

This loan helped Daniel purchase technology equipment, implement and improve his marketing strategy, as well as the hire of personnel.
See Bernadette Kiva Campaign here.

Please let us know if you or someone you know is interested in accessing a Kiva loan or have any questions. Verónica Gutiérrez, Capital Access Manager: KivaUS@centrocommunity.org.

2022 Q3 Update

We have some important updates regarding entrepreneurs served, the Centro Business Planning App, access to capital, one-on-one assistance, and Centro Business Planning App. You can now see our latest impact statistics on our Overview page.

ENTREPRENEURS SERVED

Throughout this year, we have served 897 entrepreneurs, 263 of whom attended our training programs. Through our programs, the Capital Hub and our app, we are on track to help more than 1,270 entrepreneurs by the end of this year. 

We would like to introduce you to Ingrid, who is the owner of Niños Sanos, Seguros y Felices in San Jose, California. She is an amazing Latina entrepreneur who went through our Basic and Advanced programs, and recently got her second Kiva loan.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL

Over the last three months, the Centro Capital Hub helped 18 entrepreneurs access a total of $198,500 in interest-free loans through Kiva, and a total of 60 entrepreneurs accessed $591,500 this year. We are on track to serve 75 entrepreneurs by the end of the year.

We are excited to share that since we started helping entrepreneurs access Kiva Loans through our Centro Business Planning App trustee account in 2014, we have endorsed 144 entrepreneurs who have received over $1 Million in interest-free loans.
So far this year, we have helped eleven entrepreneurs access $75,000 in grants and five entrepreneurs access $700,000 in larger small business loans with local CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions).

ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE

Since January 2021, we have provided 1,346 hours of 1-on-1 assistance to 424 entrepreneurs, with most of them located in Oakland, San Jose, Santa Clara, Stockton and other Bay Area counties.

In 2022 we have served 198 entrepreneurs and we are on track to support 250 entrepreneurs by the end of this year.

CENTRO BUSINESS PLANNING APP UPDATES

We continue our work on improving the Centro Business Planning App, and we have recently released another app update. With the latest version of the app, entrepreneurs can now see local lenders and resources on the app in multiple languages. They will see resources that offer support in their language at the top of the list and other options that might not offer in their languages below.

Also, entrepreneurs can now update their email addresses if something changes or if they had a typo when they originally created their accounts. As entrepreneurs sign up for and use the app, they are asked to validate their email to ensure that their Business Plans and the emails connecting them to resources are sent to the right place.

Centro awarded with Justworks.org grant

We're excited to share that we have been awarded a grant from Justworks.org. We are honored to be selected as one of five non-profit organization recipients out of 183 proposals submitted.

Justworks.org is committed to creating more equitable access to entrepreneurship. They are focused on high-impact grant-making for incubators and other organizations that help early-stage minority and women-owned businesses access the fundamentals of entrepreneurship like raising financing, building products, finding customers, and ultimately delivering revenues and profits. 

In many cases, underrepresented entrepreneurs face additional barriers to success, like disparities in opportunity along race, gender, sexual orientation, and other socioeconomic lines. That makes access to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship a major obstacle in realizing their potential.

Thanks to this grant, we will be able to continue offering technical assistance programs and services to aspiring entrepreneurs and established small businesses led by women and minorities in Stockton, CA.

We are looking forward to being part of Justworks inaugural cohort of grantees! 

You can learn more about the Justworks grant here.

Featured E-Suite Partner: Bethel LA CDC

Para leer en español, haz click aquí

We are pleased to feature one of our first partner organizations: Bethel Los Angeles Community Development Corporation (Bethel). Frank Stokes is the founder of the Business Entrepreneurial Stewardship Training Mobile Accelerator (BEST Mobile Accelerator); in partnership with Bethel LA CDC, a non-profit corporation, whose mission is to revitalize South Los Angeles through social, economic, physical, mental, educational, and vocational support services and programs. 

They do this by developing and nurturing youth, providing assistance to senior citizens, supporting the family structure, fostering the creation of businesses, promoting computer literacy, bridging the education gap between generations and connecting life purposes with career choices in the community of South Los Angeles.

PIONEERS TESTING THE CENTRO BUSINESS PLANNING APP

Centro launched the Business Planning App in 2015 and made it available to other non-profit organizations in California that served entrepreneurs. Thanks to CAMEO, Bethel LA CDC was introduced to Centro as part of a cohort of organizations in Southern California that were the first to receive the Train-the-Trainer program and use the app to help entrepreneurs as new E-Suite Partners. 

“We were really excited about the Centro Business Planning App. We have used other tools before, but what we really like about this one is that it was portable on mobile devices and it was introspective, meaning that if you're answering responsively to the questions you're building your content. It took a lot of mystery out of the wordsmithery, and you know how to get started.” - Frank Stokes

PROVIDING AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP ECOSYSTEM IN SOUTH LA

Bethel LA CDC goal is to revitalize South Los Angeles by improving facilities and promoting opportunities through career and entrepreneurship training in the community.

With this goal in mind, Bethel LA CDC BEST Mobile Accelerator provides an entrepreneurship program to their community where they use the Centro Business Planning App. This program facilitates access to business development resources that enhance growth and self-sufficiency. It also provides information and seminars to retain, attract, and expand new and existing businesses. Assistance is provided to minority, women and disadvantaged business enterprises.

“We serve as a network for small businesses and an ecosystem for entrepreneurs that are seeking to realize their vision. We do that with a variety of resources. We start with the training and technical assistance and then we offer assistance with the implementation of the business plan and access to capital. In many cases, we can make those handshakes for mentorship or some particular resources unique to the entrepreneurs’ business.” - Frank Stokes

EMBRACING ENTREPRENEURSHIP LIKE NEVER BEFORE

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bethel LA CDC BEST Mobile Accelerator’s outreach has expanded. They started facilitating their programs virtually and discovered that removed the transportation barriers. People who couldn’t attend in-person programs were able to attend now.

The Bethel LA CDC BEST Mobile Accelerator serves a wide spectrum of people, from the underserved entrepreneurs to the disenfranchised, including people who were employed and decided to leave their employment.

“Today people are embracing the idea of running your own business like never before. This was a real challenge for people. They were more focused on finding employment that takes care of bills, and so there's a lot of uncertainty in the marketplace right now.” - Frank Stokes

SEVEN YEARS OF A VERY RICH PARTNERSHIP

Since then, the Bethel LA CDC BEST Mobile Accelerator has implemented Centro’s curriculum in their entrepreneurship programs. In their first year as E-Suite Partners their goal was to impact 25 businesses. Now, 7 years after becoming partners, they have served over 500 entrepreneurs using the Centro Entrepreneurship Suite (E-Suite).

In the last two-and-a-half years, they’ve served 250 businesses. Of those served, 40 are in cohorts, and the rest of them are businesses in the community or they are previous graduates of their program that are in the network, and they receive continuous support and new information.

“The partnership with Centro has been rich and has provided us with a tool that is user-friendly to the community we serve. This tool, the Centro Business Planning App, is the most user-friendly we've had. It has eliminated some of the mystery to get a basic business plan once they've gotten to that stage. The technical support we have received from Centro has been great. Growing together and serving our community over the years has been a very valuable collaboration and partnership.” Frank Stokes

If you want to learn more about how we can also help your organization, please contact us at esuite@centrocommunity.org. We are also happy to answer any questions about our current curriculum, learning and teaching tools, and the support we provide to organizations!

Organización aliada destacada de E-Suite: Bethel LA CDC

To read in English, click here

Nos complace presentar a una de nuestras primeras organizaciones afiliadas: Bethel Los Angeles Community Development Corporation (Bethel). Frank Stokes es el fundador de Business Entrepreneurial Stewardship Training Mobile Accelerator (BEST Mobile Accelerator); en asociación con Bethel LA CDC, una organización sin ánimo de lucro, cuya misión es revitalizar el sur de Los Ángeles a través de servicios y programas de apoyo social, económico, físico, mental, educativo y vocacional. 

Para ello, desarrollan y nutren a los jóvenes, proporcionan asistencia a los ciudadanos de la tercera edad, apoyan la estructura familiar, fomentan la creación de empresas, promueven la informática, salvan la brecha educativa entre generaciones y conectan los propósitos de la vida con las opciones profesionales en la comunidad del sur de Los Ángeles.

PIONEROS PROBANDO LA APLICACIÓN CENTRO BUSINESS PLANNING

Centro lanzó la Business Planning App en 2015 y la puso a disposición de otras organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro de California que atendían a emprendedores. Gracias a CAMEO, Bethel LA CDC fue presentado a Centro como parte de una cohorte de organizaciones en el sur de California que fueron las primeras en recibir el programa Train-the-Trainer y utilizar la aplicación para ayudar a los emprendedores como nuevos afiliados de E-Suite. 

"Nos entusiasmó la Business Planning App. Hemos utilizado otras herramientas antes, pero lo que realmente nos gustó de esta, es que era portátil en dispositivos móviles y era introspectiva, lo que significa que si respondes a las preguntas estás construyendo tu contenido. Le quitó mucho misterio a la búsqueda de palabras, y sabes cómo empezar". - Frank Stokes

PROPORCIONANDO UN ECOSISTEMA EMPRESARIAL EN EL SUR DE LA

El objetivo de Bethel LA CDC es revitalizar el sur de Los Ángeles mediante la mejora de las instalaciones y la promoción de oportunidades a través de la formación profesional y emprendimiento en la comunidad.

Con este objetivo en mente, Bethel LA CDC BEST Mobile Accelerator ofrece un programa de emprendimiento a su comunidad en el que se utiliza la Centro Business Planning App. Este programa facilita el acceso a recursos de desarrollo empresarial que mejoran el crecimiento y la autosuficiencia. También proporciona información y seminarios para retener, atraer y expandir negocios nuevos y existentes. Se presta asistencia a minorías, mujeres y negocios desfavorecidos.

"Servimos de red para las pequeños negocios y de ecosistema para los emprendedores que buscan hacer realidad su visión. Lo hacemos con una variedad de recursos. Empezamos con la formación y la asistencia técnica y luego ofrecemos ayuda para la puesta en marcha del plan de negocio y el acceso al capital. En muchos casos, podemos hacer esas conexiones para la mentoría o algunos recursos particulares únicos para el negocio de los emprendedores." - Frank Stokes

ADOPTANDO EL ESPÍRITU EMPRENDEDOR COMO NUNCA ANTES

Desde la pandemia de Covid-19, el alcance Bethel LA CDC BEST Mobile Accelerator se ha ampliado. Empezaron a facilitar sus programas de forma virtual y descubrieron que eso eliminaba las barreras del transporte. Las personas que antes no podían asistir a los programas en persona pudieron hacerlo ahora.

Bethel LA CDC BEST Mobile Accelerator atiende a un amplio abanico de personas, desde los emprendedores desatendidos hasta los desprotegidos, incluyendo a personas que tenían un empleo y decidieron dejarlo.

"Hoy en día la gente está abrazando la idea de dirigir su propio negocio como nunca antes. Esto era un verdadero reto para la gente. Estaban más centrados en encontrar un empleo que les permitiera hacer frente a las facturas, y por eso hay mucha incertidumbre en el mercado ahora mismo." - Frank Stokes

SIETE AÑOS DE UNA ASOCIACIÓN DE GRAN RIQUEZA

Desde entonces, Bethel LA CDC BEST Mobile Accelerator ha implementado la metofología de Centro en sus programas de emprendimiento. En su primer año como afilidos de E-Suite, su objetivo era lograr un impacto en 25 negocios. Ahora, 7 años después de convertirse en afiliados, han atendido a más de 500 emprendedores utilizando Centro Entrepreneurship Suite (E-Suite).

En los últimos dos años y medio, han atendido a 250 emprendedores. De los atendidos, 40 están en cohortes, y el resto son negocios de la comunidad o son graduados anteriores de su programa que están en la red, y reciben apoyo continuo y nueva información.

"La asociación con Centro ha sido enriquecedora y nos ha proporcionado una herramienta fácil de usar para la comunidad a la que servimos. Esta herramienta, la Centro Business Planning App, es la más fácil de usar que hemos tenido. Ha eliminado parte del misterio para conseguir un plan de negocio básico una vez que han llegado a esa fase. El apoyo técnico que hemos recibido de Centro ha sido estupendo. Crecer juntos y servir a nuestra comunidad a lo largo de los años ha sido una colaboración y una asociación muy valiosa." - Frank Stokes

Si quieres saber más sobre cómo podemos ayudar también a tu organización, ponte en contacto con nosotros en esuite@centrocommunity.org. También estaremos encantados de responder a cualquier pregunta sobre nuestra metodología, las herramientas de aprendizaje y enseñanza, y el apoyo que ofrecemos a las organizaciones.

Centro awarded an eBay Foundation Global Give grant

We're excited to share that we received an eBay Foundation Global Give grant to support women and minority entrepreneurs.

We are grateful to eBay Foundation for their generous support for the second time, as we were also grantees of the 2021 Global Give grant program. Thanks to their continuous support, we were able to utilize their grant funds to advance access to capital, offer 1-on-1 business advisory services and provide capacity-building services to other nonprofits. These partner organizations collectively served 150+ underrepresented entrepreneurs in the Bay Area and New York City. With renewed support from the eBay Foundation, we are looking to continue our work and support in these areas.

Since 1998, eBay Foundation has partnered with nonprofit organizations that are addressing and removing barriers to entrepreneurship for people who identify with historically excluded groups. The foundation believes when entrepreneurs succeed, they build more resilient and vibrant communities. The foundation’s grantmaking supports nonprofits like Centro and coalitions that enrich entrepreneurial opportunities for people and communities disproportionately affected by structural inequality, advancing economic opportunity for all.

We are so grateful to eBay Foundation for its commitment to entrepreneurship with underserved communities.

You can learn more about the eBay Global Give grant here.

Quarterly Capital Hub Update

In this quarterly Capital Hub update we’ll share some of our accomplishments, and share the stories of two entrepreneurs who finished their Kiva campaigns.

$1 M IN IN KIVA LOANS FOR ENTREPRENEURS ENDORSED BY CENTRO!

We are excited to share that since we started helping entrepreneurs access Kiva Loans through our Centro Business Planning App trustee account in 2014, we have endorsed 133 entrepreneurs receiving over $1M in interest-free loans.

In order to qualify for our endorsement in Kiva, entrepreneurs must create their business plans using the Centro Business Planning Tool. By completing all of the activities in this app, potential borrowers will have thought through the different pieces of their business models and are able to effectively explain their business to Kiva lenders. 

QUARTERLY UPDATE

Since the start of 2022, we have helped 57 entrepreneurs access $1,160,500. From this amount, $440,500 were provided in Kiva loans with the Oakland and San Francisco Kiva Hubs, $45,000 in grants, and $675,000 in larger small business loans.

EDISNEY AND PAOLA, ARE SET FOR SUCCESS AFTER GETTING THEIR KIVA LOAN!

Meet Edisney and Paola, two amazing entrepreneurs who each received a $15,000 Kiva loan to grow their businesses in the Bay Area:

EDISNEY ROA TRUJILLO, OWNER OF OLALA POPSICLES

Edisney is originally from Colombia, and produces and sells artisan popsicles called Olala Popsicles.

“One of my passions is making traditional Colombian desserts for my family, especially passion fruit desserts. Living here in the United States and missing the food of my country, I was inspired by Colombian paletas to create Olala Popsicles and share them with my friends. My business started in 2020 during the pandemic because of the need to earn income and my passion for taking desserts to another level.” - Edisney

This Kiva loan is helping Edisney take her popsicle business to the next level by purchasing machinery to optimize the production and distribution of the product.

Watch Edisney’s video here.

PAOLA ALVARADO, OWNER OF PAO CRAFT COCKTAILS 

Paola is a Latina woman originally from Mexico, and is the founder of Pao Craft Cocktails.

“I have a craft cocktail business, I focus on creating fun and different environments with a delicious drink made for each of my clients' needs. My business is a mobile bar and we serve our customers in the location of their choice. I decided to start my business, because I was unemployed due to the pandemic in 2020. This motivated me to undertake and empower myself to open my business on February 17, 2021.” - Paola

This loan helped Paola purchase a van to transport more equipment and hold larger events, as well as help with professional advertising and hiring a staff person.

Read Paola’s success story here.

Please let us know if you or someone you know is interested in accessing a Kiva loan or have any questions. Verónica Gutiérrez, Capital Access Manager: KivaUS@centrocommunity.org.

Organización aliada destacada de E-Suite Women Enabled Enterprises

To read in English, click here

Es un gran placer para nosotros contar con la renovación de Women Enabled Enterprises (WEE)  como afiliado de E-Suite por tercer año, y queremos aprovechar esta oportunidad para destacar el increíble trabajo que realizan en África. Mpho Hansjee es la fundadora y CEO de Women Enabled Enterprises, una organización sin ánimo de lucro que trabaja con mujeres en Sudáfrica y que ayuda a las mujeres de bajos ingresos y alto potencial a crear o hacer crecer sus pequeños negocios para ser autosuficientes. 

"Somos una organización sin ánimo de lucro que rompe las barreras de acceso para las mujeres sudafricanas de color que buscan prosperar o embarcarse en un viaje de emprendimiento". - Mpho

EMPODERAR A UNA MUJER, ELEVAR UNA COMUNIDAD

Mpho fundó Women Enabled Enterprises con el objetivo de resolver uno de los mayores problemas de su país: el desempleo. Sudáfrica tiene la tasa de desempleo más alta del mundo, con un 35% de paro, y las mujeres de entre 15 y 34 años forman el 60% de esta cifra.

Como organización, WEE está comprometida con la solución de este problema. Saben que cuando las mujeres no tienen capacidad de decisión en sus vidas, no son capaces de cuidar de sus hijos. Esto afecta a la nutrición infantil, a la educación y a muchos otros ámbitos. WEE ayuda a las mujeres artesanas a desarrollar sus habilidades empresariales para que tengan la oportunidad de crear empleo para sí mismas y para otros a partir de sus habilidades. 

"También es muy conocida, por desgracia, la violencia de género en el sur de África, y aunque nuestra organización no contribuye directamente a ayudar en ese ámbito, lo que sabemos es que cuando las mujeres tienen más dinero propio, son capaces de abandonar relaciones que ya no son seguras para ellas". - Mpho

JUNTOS DESDE EL INICIO

Women Enabled Enterprises fue fundada en 2019 en Sudáfrica, y referida a Centro por Julie Abrams. WEE comenzó a ejecutar sus programas en 2020, y desde el principio, confiaron en la metodología de Centro y la incorporaron junto con la Centro Business Planning App en su programa de 12 semanas.

La accesibilidad del teléfono para ejecutar los programas fue una de las cosas más importantes para WEE cuando comenzamos nuestra alianza, ya que la mayoría de las mujeres en Sudáfrica no tienen un ordenador portátil. "Cuando probamos la aplicación Centro con nuestro primer grupo, todo fue bien, y todas pudieron descargar la aplicación y utilizarla. Nuestro objetivo era que todas las empresarias tuvieran la aplicación y pudieran utilizarla con facilidad en las tres primeras semanas. Sin embargo, en las dos primeras semanas pudimos tener a todas a bordo". El 90% de las mujeres con las que trabajan sólo tienen teléfonos móviles, así que cuando utilizan Zoom, todo lo que hacen tiene que ser muy fácil de usar en el teléfono movil.

Cuando WEE comenzó, su principal objetivo como organización era servir a 100 mujeres en un año, y quería ejecutar 4 trimestres, sirviendo a 25 mujeres en cada uno. Lanzaron su primer programa en 2019 con 15 emprendedoras en la primera cohorte, 25 en la segunda y 70 en la tercera. Después de eso se estabilizaron a un promedio de 30 a 40 mujeres en cada grupo. Ahora han decidido que en lugar de hacer 4 programas en un año, harán 2 pero tendrán grupos más grandes. "Estoy muy orgullosa de decir esto, pero ya casi llegamos a las 200 para el trimestre de otoño y es el grupo más grande que hemos tenido nunca". - Mpho

SUPERANDO BARRERAS CON LA TECNOLOGÍA

Este año, Women Enabled Enterprises ha ampliado sus programas virtuales a otros países africanos como Ghana, Kenia, Uganda, Etiopía, Zimbabue, Tanzania y Senegal. Todos los programas son en línea y combinan las actividades de la Centro Business Planning App. También invita a ponentes de Estados Unidos y de diferentes países de África.

"La aplicación hizo que el proceso de elaboración de un plan de negocios fuera menos desalentador. Me gusta que haya dividido cada sección en trozos manejables. Fue más agradable que abrumador hacer uno. La funcionalidad de poder exportarlo en diferentes archivos para su uso futuro también fue una ventaja añadida". - Kagiso, emprendedora de WEE.

Uno de los mayores éxitos de WEE es que han sido capaces de trascender sus propias capacidades y su propio alcance. Cada vez que atienden a una mujer, un tercio de ellas emplea a dos personas en su comunidad. "Ese es un resultado poderoso, porque una persona crea su propio empleo, y crea capacidad en su vida y en su negocio para emplear a otras personas. Y lo mismo ocurre con los hijos de las mujeres a las que atendemos, y lo diferente que será la vida de los niños ahora que su madre está en pie. Los niños tendrán una mejor educación, podrán comer alimentos sanos y podrán tener libros para la escuela y zapatos. Para mí, eso hace que todo valga la pena". - Mpho

CONECTANDO CON LAS EMPRENDEDORAS ALLÍ DONDE SE ENCUENTRAN

"Nuestra alianza con Centro ha sido increíblemente beneficiosa porque lo que Centro proporciona es exactamente lo que nuestras emprendedoras necesitan y lo que nuestra organización necesita. Lo que más me gusta es que Centro llega a las mujeres a las que servimos justo donde están. Tienen la oportunidad de hacer la aplicación en un idioma diferente. Centro crea accesibilidad y eso es fundamental para el lugar donde encontramos a nuestras emprendedoras, que es el teléfono móvil. No podemos agradecer lo suficiente a Centro porque han estado con nosotras desde que empezamos, y todavía están con nosotras. Han sido unos aliados muy receptivos a los comentarios y nos han hecho mejorar. No habríamos podido tener el éxito que hemos creado sin Centro" - Mpho

Puedes saber más sobre Women Enabled Enterprises, su misión y su impacto viendo este vídeo:

Si quieres saber más sobre cómo podemos ayudar también a tu organización, ponte en contacto con nosotros en esuite@centrocommunity.org. También estaremos encantados de responder a cualquier pregunta sobre nuestro plan de estudios actual, las herramientas de aprendizaje y enseñanza, y el apoyo que ofrecemos a las organizaciones.

Featured E-Suite Partner: Women Enabled Enterprises

Para leer en español, haz click aquí

It’s a great pleasure for us to have Women Enabled Enterprises (WEE) renewing as an E-Suite Affiliate for the third year, and we want to take this opportunity to highlight the amazing work they do in Africa. Mpho Hansjee is the Founder and CEO of Women Enabled Enterprises, a non-profit organization working with women in South Africa, that helps low-income, high-potential women start or grow a small business for self-sufficiency. 

"We are a non-profit organization that breaks barriers to access for South African women of color seeking to flourish or embark on an entrepreneurial journey." - Mpho

EMPOWER A WOMAN, UPLIFT A COMMUNITY

Mpho founded Women Enabled Enterprises with the aim of solving one of the biggest issues in her country: unemployment. South Africa has the highest unemployment rate in the world, with a 35% rate of unemployment, and women aged 15 to 34 contributed 60% of this number.

As an organization, WEE is really committed to solving this problem. They know that when women have no agency over their lives they aren't able to take care of the kids. This affects childhood nutrition, education, and so many different other areas. WEE helps women artisans by developing their business skills so that they have an opportunity to create employment for themselves and others out of their skill set. 

“We also are very well-known, unfortunately, for gender-based violence in Southern Africa and while our organization doesn't directly contribute to helping that area, what we know is that when women have more of their own money, they're able to leave relationships that are no longer safe for them.” - Mpho

TOGETHER SINCE THE BEGINNING

Women Enabled Enterprises was founded in 2019 in South Africa, and referred to Centro by Julie Abrams. WEE started running its programs 2020, and since the beginning, they trusted Centro’s methodology and incorporated it together with the Centro Business Planning App into their 12-week program. 

The phone accessibility for running the programs was one of the most important things for WEE when we started our partnership, as most of the women we work with in South Africa don’t have a laptop. “When we tested the Centro App with our first group, everything went smoothly, and everyone was able to download the app and set it up. Our goal was to have every single entrepreneur on the app and be able to use it with ease within the first three weeks. However, within the first two weeks, we were able to have everyone on board!.” 90% of the women they work with only have mobile phones, so when they get on Zoom everything they do has to be very mobile phone friendly. 

When WEE first started, its main organizational goal was to serve 100 women in a year, and it wanted to run 4 quarters, serving 25 women in each. They launched their first program in 2019 with 15 applicants in the first cohort, 25 in the second, and 70 in the third. After that they stabilized to an average of 30 to 40 women in each group. Now they have decided instead of doing 4 programs in a year, they will do 2 but will have bigger groups. “I'm so proud to say this but we're almost at 200 for the fall quarter on and it's the biggest group we've had actually.” - Mpho

OVERCOMING BARRIERS WITH TECHNOLOGY

This year, Women Enabled Enterprises expanded its virtual programs to other African countries like Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Senegal, and Uganda. All programs are online and they combine the activities from the Centro Business Planning App. It also invites guest speakers from the US and from different countries in Africa.

“The app made the process of building a business plan less daunting. I like how it broke down each section into manageable, bite-sized pieces. It was more enjoyable than it was overwhelming to make one. The functionality of being able to export it out as different files for future use was also an added bonus.” - Kagiso, Entrepreneur from WEE.

One of WEE biggest successes is that they’ve been able to transcend its own capabilities and its own reach. Every time they serve a woman, one-third of them employ two people in their community. “That's a powerful result because one person creates their own job, and creates capacity in their life and in their business to employ other people. And the same thing about the children of the women we serve, and how different the children’s lives will be now that their mom is on their feet. The children will have better education, they'll be able to eat wholesome food, and they'll be able to have books for school and shoes. Those to me make everything worth it.” - Mpho

MEETING ENTREPRENEURS WHERE THEY’RE AT

“Our partnership with Centro has been so incredibly beneficial because what Centro provides is exactly what our beneficiaries need and what our organization needs. What I love the most is that Centro meets the women we serve right where they're at. They have opportunities to make the app in a different language. Centro is open to creating accessibility. They are central to where we find our entrepreneurs, which is on a mobile phone. We can’t thank Centro enough because they have been with us since we started, and they are still with us. They have been such responsive partners to feedback and they’ve made us better. We wouldn’t have been able to have the success we created without Centro” - Mpho

You can learn more about Women Enabled Enterprises, their mission, and their impact by watching this video:

If you want to learn more about how we can also help your organization, please contact us at esuite@centrocommunity.org. We are also happy to answer any questions about our current curriculum, learning and teaching tools, and the support we provide to organizations!

2022 Q2 Update & W.K. Kellogg Foundation Grant

Here are some big milestones we achieved during the second quarter of 2022! In addition to updates about entrepreneurs served, the Centro Business Planning App, access to capital, and one-on-one assistance, you can also see our latest impact statistics on our Overview page.

ENTREPRENEURS SERVED

During the first half of 2022, we served 640 entrepreneurs, and 172 of them graduated from our programs. Through our programs, Capital Hub and app, we are on track to help more than 1,400 entrepreneurs by the end of this year.

We would like to introduce you to Paola, who is the owner of Pao Craft Cocktails in East Palo Alto, California. She is an amazing Latina entrepreneur who went through our programs, and recently graduated from the Advanced Entrepreneurship Program.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL

During the last three months, the Centro Capital Hub helped 17 entrepreneurs access a total of $138,000 in interest-free loans through Kiva and we have a goal of helping 100 entrepreneurs receive $1,000,000 in Kiva loans by the end of the year. 

So far this year, we have helped six entrepreneurs access $45,000 in grants and four entrepreneurs access $675,000 in larger small business loans with local CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions).

ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE

Throughout this year, we provided 319 hours of 1-on-1 business coaching sessions to 127 entrepreneurs. 

Since 2021, we have provided 1,198 hours of 1-on-1 assistance to entrepreneurs, with most of them located in Oakland, San Jose, Santa Clara, Stockton and other Bay Area counties.

W.K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION GRANT TO IMPROVE THE APP

We're excited to share that we received a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to invest in our technological infrastructure and scale our capacity to empower underserved entrepreneurs and families to have equal access to economic opportunity. 

Thanks to this grant, we will be able to integrate impact surveys onto the Centro Business Planning App to measure an entrepreneur’s progress in real-time and gauge how many entrepreneurs are positively impacted by the app. We will also connect underserved entrepreneurs with more local resources by integrating more microlenders, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and business service organizations onto the app.

If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch the Centro Business Planning App Demo video here:

Centro selected as one of MIT Solve X Truist Foundation Inspire Awards semi-finalists

We are honored to share that we have been chosen among the 15 semi-finalists of MIT Solve X Truist Foundation Inspire Awards. 

The Truist Foundation and MIT Solve partner in launching the inaugural Inspire Awards to identify innovative nonprofit-driven solutions that provide support to grow, develop, and sustain racially diverse and/or women-led small businesses in the United States. The Challenge is seeking organizations driving a new frontier for entrepreneurship across the United States. 

Centro Business Planning App project is supported by Solve, an initiative from MIT, and we are excited for the steps ahead. Finalists will be announced on the 1st of July.

With the Centro Business Planning App, we have successfully tested and deployed a scalable solution that can be used to promote entrepreneurship as a pathway towards employment, build economic resilience in local communities, catalyze growth of small businesses, facilitate access to capital, create jobs and grow household income.

You can learn more about the MIT Solve X Truist Foundation Inspire Awards here.

Centro Awarded with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Grant

We're excited to share that we received a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to invest in our technological infrastructure and scale our capacity to empower underserved entrepreneurs and families to have equal access to economic opportunity. We are grateful to Kellogg Foundation for supporting our mission and investing in us with a two-year $300,000 grant.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal innovator and entrepreneur Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.

Thanks to this grant, Centro will be able to develop our Learning Management System to scale our programs and services, offering access to underserved entrepreneurs regardless of their location. We will also be able to integrate impact surveys onto the Centro Business Planning App to measure an entrepreneur’s progress in real time and gauge how many entrepreneurs are positively impacted by the app. Finally, we will connect underserved entrepreneurs with more local resources by integrating more microlenders, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and business service organizations onto the app.