The Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise Project is a partnership of several organizations that will provide training and loans for individuals with low-to-moderate income and/or other disadvantages, specifically the unemployed, to start their own businesses.
and others yet to be announced. The project has a five-county reach: Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, Lee, and Collier.
What is MicroEnterprise?
A microenterprise is any type of small business that has fewer than five employees. Microenterprises typically do not meet the credit and/or collateral requirements necessary to access conventional financial services. This could be due to business type, a short length of time in business, or an insufficient credit history.
According to the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), “there are more than 24 million microenterprises in the U.S., representing 18% of all
private employment and 87% of all businesses. One out of six U.S. private sector employees works for a microenterprise. Historically, microenterprises have been considered the backbone of the U.S. economy.”
The AEO also says that, “most microenterprises are sole proprietorships, which create employment for the owner and, often, other family members; they are commonly called "mom and pop" businesses. Some grow into large enterprises employing other members of the community. Microenterprises include a variety of businesses in the products and service sectors such as repair and cleaning services, specialty foods, jewelry, arts and crafts, gifts, clothing and textiles, computer technology, childcare, and environmental products.”
How can I support the project?
By supporting the Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise Project, you can strengthen small businesses, which are the backbone of our local economy, and help to put people back to work at the same time.
With the unemployment rate in Lee County alone having reached 14% at the end of 2009, and surrounding counties just as bad and in some cases worse, the economic needs in Southwest Florida are great.
This partnership project seeks to relieve pressure on families in our communities, reward an entrepreneurial spirit, and pioneer a sustained collaborative effort that will benefit Southwest Florida into the future.
