WOMENS INITIATIVE FOR SELF EMPLOYMENT
Mission:
Women's Initiative for Self Employment's mission is to assist low-income women of diverse ethnic and social backgrounds in becoming economically self-sufficient through entrepreneurial activities.
Women's Initiative provides economically disadvantaged women with entrepreneurial training, technical assistance, and financial services. Since 1988, Women's Initiative has served more than 16,000 women, disbursed loans totaling over $800,000 and assisted clients in leveraging an additional $1,800,000 in capital from other lending sources. Services are provided in English and through the ALAS program in Spanish. In recent years our clients have started or developed over 1,600 businesses, from photography studios to catering companies and jewelry stores. Our nationally recognized Research and Evaluation Department evaluates our success through a comprehensive evaluation system that includes tracking business and the personal and business development our clients achieve as a result of our services.
Many low-income women in California fail to make ends meet. Nearly 37% of single women in California still live below the federal poverty level (compared with 25% nationwide), including many that have never received public assistance. Many of the women we serve are also highly motivated, show entrepreneurial aptitude, and have skills in a particular craft or service. At the same time, they often face an array of obstacles when trying to launch a business: limited education or opportunity, lack of start-up capital, undeveloped business skills, competing family responsibilities, and limited access to marketing information and expertise. The immigrants we serve face additional barriers, including lack understanding of business regulations, marketing opportunities, and how computers can help them grow their businesses. Traditional business development programs fail to meet these needs - Women's Initiative bridges the gap.
Women's Initiative provides economically disadvantaged women with entrepreneurial training, technical assistance, and financial services. Since 1988, Women's Initiative has served more than 16,000 women, disbursed loans totaling over $800,000 and assisted clients in leveraging an additional $1,800,000 in capital from other lending sources. Services are provided in English and through the ALAS program in Spanish. In recent years our clients have started or developed over 1,600 businesses, from photography studios to catering companies and jewelry stores. Our nationally recognized Research and Evaluation Department evaluates our success through a comprehensive evaluation system that includes tracking business and the personal and business development our clients achieve as a result of our services.
Many low-income women in California fail to make ends meet. Nearly 37% of single women in California still live below the federal poverty level (compared with 25% nationwide), including many that have never received public assistance. Many of the women we serve are also highly motivated, show entrepreneurial aptitude, and have skills in a particular craft or service. At the same time, they often face an array of obstacles when trying to launch a business: limited education or opportunity, lack of start-up capital, undeveloped business skills, competing family responsibilities, and limited access to marketing information and expertise. The immigrants we serve face additional barriers, including lack understanding of business regulations, marketing opportunities, and how computers can help them grow their businesses. Traditional business development programs fail to meet these needs - Women's Initiative bridges the gap.
Results:
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Hannah K.
04/05/12
I always look for leverage. Women's Initiative really beats everything else. Just in Silicon Valley, we were part of starting 400 successful business last year. These businesses pulled women out of poverty, gave their children a role model, supported the community with new well-paying jobs and ...
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mbrandemuehl
04/05/12
I became involved with Women's Initiative 15 years ago because I believed in their mission of helping low-income women escape poverty by becoming their own employer. I've stayed involved because the program works and I see the evidence every time I meet a graduate. If you want to give back to your...
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