An Inland Empire-based nonprofit that connects small businesses with providers of microloans, grants, training, and other resources recently formed a partnership with Small Business Development Corporation of Orange County toward further assisting SBDC-OC’s clientele.
In May, the MicroEnterprise Collaborative of Inland Southern California provided SBDC-OC its no-cost web-based Small Business Assistance Tool to host on its website. SBDC-OC also is listed within the tool as one of dozens of resource providers. The tool functions like a portal allowing small business owners access to a directory of nonprofit service providers and micro lenders that offer no-cost or low-cost resources for small and startup ventures, helping them to grow and thrive. Businesses use filters in the portal to connect with service providers that offer technical assistance, training and business counseling. As of the end of June, the number of providers listed in the tool’s directory was nearly 45 with the number growing daily.
“Our nonprofit corporation is pleased to partner with the MicroEnterprise Collaborative and we are excited to offer their excellent resource network to our small business clients,” said Michael A. Ocasio, chief executive officer of Small Business Development Corporation of Orange County. “The state’s entrepreneurial and small businesses communities need support systems such as this in order to have the best chances at success.”
MicroEnterprise Collaborative also provides small business development resource guides, a blog on business trends and matters such as PPP loan forgiveness, top business loans for bad credit situations and other topics, and stories of successful businesses. Newsletters are produced weekly including those tailored to Spanish-speakers, Native American populations in the Inland Empire, higher education institutions and municipalities.
“We’re really just that connection that brings everybody out of their individual silos to work together. ”
“Since I’ve been the executive director this past year and a half, our marketing efforts have grown and our wonderful board of directors is made up of 15 business leaders in the region,” said Pamela Deans who was hired in January 2022. “We have a mix of service providers and micro lenders along with bankers, small business owners and other community leaders helping to guide the strategic vision of the organization.” She is looking to expand the organization’s reach more broadly into Riverside and San Bernardino counties and to push organically as well into Orange County and parts of East Los Angeles County.
MicroEnterprise reached more than 25,000 individuals and small business owners in 2022 with its services “We had 4,000 people just this year go to our website for grants,” Deans said. “The MicroEnterprise Collaborative is a one-stop shop. It’s an entrepreneurial ecosystem.” She noted that the website has been upgraded with high-tech options that aid various disabilities and language translation needs.
The web-based Small Business Assistance Tool, which is free to users and hosts, uses technology acquired through the University of Missouri. MicroEnterprise used James Irvine Foundation grant funds to purchase and implement the technology.
Deans is presently offering the website business assistance tool to 52 city governments and more than 30 chambers of commerce throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Current hosts of the web tool include the city of Fontana, the University of La Verne and the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re really just that connection that brings everybody out of their individual silos to work together,” Deans said. "We foster collaboration and build the capacity of service providers to meet the growing demand of small business owners in the region."
