Kiva Switches Focus to Help Small U.S. Firms Get Funding

For the last 3 1/2 years, Kiva.org, a San Francisco nonprofit, has worked with 97 microfinance partners to connect lenders in 185 countries with entrepreneurs in 45 countries. Now, the site is making a push within the U.S. to help low-income entrepreneurs get funding for their businesses.

Full-text blog post by Nick Leiber is available via Business Week/The New Entrepreneur, 6.10.09.

Giving Capitalism Its Due

Carl Schramm doesn't buy the idea that some businesses are "too big to fail." That notion, says the president of the Kansas City-based Kauffman Foundation, only creates obstacles for entrepreneurs. Instead, he sees the failure of big companies as the "moment when 1,000 flowers can bloom."

Full-text article by Naomi Schaefer Riley is available via The Wall Street Journal, 4.4.09.

Credit Crunch Attracting Clients to Nonprofit Microlenders

With banks continuing to keep a tight rein on credit, American small businesses and would-be entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to nonprofit lenders for financing.

Full-text article by Anjali Cordeiro is available via The Wall Street Journal, 3.31.09.

Entrepreneurs Confident In Recession

Despite anxiety brought on by the economic crisis, nearly six in 10 entrepreneurs say they would keep their current levels of social responsibility steady, while a quarter plan to increase their philanthropic efforts, says a survey by the Entrepreneurs' Organization.

Full-text article is available via the Philanthropy Journal, 2.4.09.

Why Leading Entrepreneurs Give

Today, entrepreneurs are redefining what it means to be charitable. BusinessWeek compiled a slide show to see how a dozen top entrepreneurs are applying their business acumen to a host of social and environmental issues. For them, philanthropy and profitability aren't mutually exclusive.

Full-text article by Stacy Perman is available via BusinessWeek, 12.5.08.

2008 State New Economy Index Released

Five states — Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey—are leading the United States’ transformation into a global, entrepreneurial and knowledge- and innovation-based New Economy, according to The 2008 State New Economy Index, released today by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). The report is being released during Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative to inspire young people around the world to embrace imagination, innovation and creativity.

Full-text press release and report is available via the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, 11.20.08.

The New Face of Entrepreneurship

A new report by Babson and Baruch colleges finds that the face of the nation's new entrepreneurs is changing dramatically. The report also finds that the performance of the nation's innovators is a good barometer of the state of the nation's economy.

Full-text article by Sharon McLoone is available via the Washington Post, 11.18.08.

Making a Big Difference

Small businesses can be a vital source of support -- often in the form of free services or products -- for small, local charities. A new Chronicle study examines what matters to the entrepreneurs who own those establishments.

Full-text article by Caroline Preston is available via the Chronicle of Philanthropy, 10.16.08. [Subscription required.]

Entrepreneurs Foundation of North Texas Hosts Spirit of Entrepeneurship Event

"Dallas is a deal-making town, and the good news is that companies here appreciate making philanthropy a part of their deals. The reason we host this event is to show even more executives how valuable it is to integrate corporate citizenship into their business model. There's a real tangible return on investment. You get a more engaged employee, a more loyal customer base, and besides that, you're doing good things for the community. It's a win-win-win," said Pam Gerber, executive director of the Entrepreneurs Foundation.

Full-text article via Pegasus News Wire, 6.6.08.

Tech Philanthropy in Austin, Texas

Back in 1999, Austin's tech community was growing fast. But entrepreneurs also were getting flack for their isolation from the community. Some people saw them as part of the problem, adding to the region's traffic and housing cost headaches.

As for philanthropy or volunteering, many entrepreneurs said they were too busy building their companies to spend time or money on anything else.

"The high-tech community was not held in very good light at the time," Bill Bock said recently. Bock was chief executive of software startup Dazel Corp in the late 1990s. "We needed to break the impasse — to find a way for startups to give back."

Full-text article by Lori Hawkins is available via the Austin American-Statesman, 3.10.08.

Best Young Entrepreneurs of 2007

25 smart new businesses from some of the brightest entrepreneurs in the U.S. age 25 and under.

Full-text article by Nick Leiber and Stacy Perman is available via BusinessWeek, 2007.