Why AEO & Why Now?
The Association for Enterprise Opportunity is the leading voice of innovation for microfinance and microbusiness. Our mission is to create economic opportunity for underserved entrepreneurs throughout the United States. We engineer transformational change through research, convening, incubation, and advocacy to foster a robust and inclusive marketplace.
In the midst of COVID-19 and civil unrest, your timely investment in Black-owned businesses is bigger than just economic impact. It is fueling the life source of the community. As most of these businesses struggled to gain access to capital prior to this uncertainty, your donation allows us to continue the vital work of building tools and services to create economic inclusion.
How Will Funds be Used?
Your funds will support our Tapestry Project and Tapestry Action Lab, which build innovative “ecosystem approaches” to address the challenges that Black businesses face daily.
Specifically, Tapestry addresses the complex interplay among three acute challenges (found in AEO’s groundbreaking research) that impede Black business development: a massive wealth gap, credit gap, and a trust gap fueled by historic and systemic bias.
The Tapestry Project Award Package includes:
- Funding for innovative ecosystem pilot demonstrations
- Capital products and trusted guidance resources that could be made available to Black business owners
- Other offers and innovations from project partners and sponsors developed over the length of the project