Mountain BizWorks’ current scale strategy focuses on an expansion and marketing program aimed at increasing the capacity and impact of its lending program. Key components of the strategy include:

• Strategic planning with board and staff.
• A marketing and outreach campaign that builds off previous work on rebranding. The effort will include updated market research on potential borrowers, as well as a print and Web advertising effort.
• Partnerships with lending institutions.
• Geographic expansion of the lending program.

• Refocused the staff and Board on key growth factors for lending including: increasing the loan amount to $50,000, CDFI minimum standards, capital structure, equity, continued loan loss rate, and efficient loan decisions.
• Experienced a substantial increase in existing and potential clients through market research, community awareness, and increased organizational visibility.
• Working with banks to become a referring entity for loan applications that are not within the bank's lending guidelines.

Background:
MBW has provided microenterprise services in a largely-rural area for the past 18 years, initially using a peer-lending methodology. One of the largest predominantly rural microenterprise programs in the country.

Core Microenterprise Services:  

• Foundations Business Planning Program focused on basic business skills and planning
• Growth through Objectives (GO) Program provides coaching for more advanced clients
• Small business loans
• Membership services, including individual technical assistance, access to the computer lab/member center, alumni groups and alliances, etc.
• Mountain Made retail store provides a venue for client products

Highlights:

• Formed a CDFI (Mountain BizCapital) in 2002 to fund its growing need for loan capital.
• Rebranded and repositioned the organization (including name change and addition of communications manager).
• Enhanced technology capacity includes improved hardware and communications capacity, new databases (TEA and Donor Perfect), and a centralized Web portal for technical assistance providers.
• Strategic restructuring of board and staff to position for growth.
• Development of partnerships that expand funding and service offerings.