Special Initiatives

Funding Priorities for Transitions

We have been a lead funder in micro-enterprise for many years. We have seeded demonstration projects, funded creation and dissemination of seminal research, supported the start-up of a national trade association for practitioners, helped establish a new research and development intermediary, and advocated for government funding for micro-enterprise initiatives.

In maintaining a critical presence in the field with limited grant dollars, we are likely to fund projects that:

Stabilize and sustain national and state infrastructures for the field.
Identify promising models and help them expand; or increase awareness of the field's role in supporting low-income entrepreneurs. (Grant requests by invitation only.)

Click here to view the 10 most recent grants for this program area.

Funding priorities for Exploratory and Special Projects

This objective allows us to respond to unforeseen opportunities or needs that cut across the program's three primary areas of emphasis. We also use this objective to research issues and determine future program directions. (Funding is minimal because of budget constraints.)