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"State of the Field". This major publication from FIELD examines the state of the microenterprise industry in the United States. Read more.

The Scale Academy includes seven microenterprise organizations committed to scaling-up through new business model development while maintaining quality and sustainability. Learn more about members' strategies.

Webinars periodically highlight FIELD's developing research topics and augment published materials with interviews and commentary. Browse recorded Webinars.

Donor Resources. FIELD offers two resources for donors interested in the U.S. microenterprise field. FIELD's Funder Guide Series provides donors with insights into the field and effective ways in which it can be supported. FIELD also staffs a Microenterprise Funders Group that provides opportunities for exchange and learning among donors. Learn more about these donor resources.

Need data? MicroTest, a tool FIELD developed to help programs track performance and client outcomes, also enables us to generate useful data on the microenterprise field. Looking for data on entrepreneurs and how they fare after training? Click here. Looking for data on program performance? Click here.

More MicroTest products. A number of additional products have been developed from MicroTest data. For a complete list of reports, PowerPoints, and more, click here.

MicroTest membership info. While many MicroTest products and services are free, members have access to additional benefits. Click here for membership information.

MicroTest Webinar series. Staff presents – and archives – a series of annual trainings for new members, and those wanting a refresher course, in how to use MicroTest tools. Click here for details.

MicroTest data project launched. A new method of collecting program performance data is being tested by five organizations, using methods developed by CoopMetrics, a business benchmarking and data warehouse services cooperative. Click here to learn more.

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FIELD’s second “Leading Edge” Webinar to be held July 8. Join us for the next installment in our new Webinar series funded by the Bank of America Foundation. The topic is Tax Prep Services for Microentrepreneurs, and the event will highlight the efforts of microenterprise programs and free community tax preparation sites to use tax preparation as a tool to help self-employed individuals to access tax credits, learn about their financial position, plan for the long term, and access other asset-building products. Register now.

Efficiency strategies featured in Webinar. FIELD’s recent Webinar, “Spotlight on Sustainability: A Conversation about Efficiency” can now be viewed on-line. The presentation included featured speakers, Anthony Chang from Opportunity Fund, and Alan Okagaki, a long time economic development consultant discussing the role efficiency strategies can play in helping microlending programs scale-up and increase sustainability. View Webinar.

Publication explores improving efficiency. Our latest FIELD forum explores how one microenterprise organization –Opportunity Fund in California’s Bay Area – is emphasizing efficiency to increase scale and sustainability. The publication explains strategies undertaken, challenges faced and lessons learned. This is the fourth in a series of forums focusing on ways programs are using specific and varied strategies to increase sustainability. Read PDF.

New paper outlines an action plan for the field. Seizing the opportunity presented by a new administration in Washington, a group of leading microenterprise thinkers, funders, practitioners and intermediaries came together in early 2009 to suggest a vision and an action plan for the field. Their input is summarized in a new report from FIELD, Moving the Microenterprise Field Forward: Priorities, Strategies and Roles. Read pdf. A supplement, summarizing participants' contributions to a wiki used in connection with the meeting, also can be read as a PDF.

New additions to Performance Benchmarking series. Two new PowerPoint presentations have been added to MicroTest’s series exploring different facets of program performance. Based on analysis of FY2007 data collected in 2008, the new additions focus on “Program Scale” and “Analysis of Training Program Data.” The presentations provide an overview of what is being learned about the scale of program services in the U.S. microenterprise industry, and examine costs and performance of training programs. View series.

Publication describes early Scale Academy lessons. A new publication based on findings from the Scale Academy, called Forging Ahead: Early Lessons, has just been released. The report explains the various strategies implemented by the academy’s seven grantees and describes some of their achievements to date. Download pdf.

New administration, new policy agenda. FIELD’s latest Funder Guide focuses on ways a new administration could reinvigorate microenterprise development. The guide offers policy suggestions and identifies opportunities for funders. Download guide.

Platforms demonstrated, discussed in Webinars. FIELD’s recent two-part Webinar, “Platforms for the Microenterprise Industry,” can now be viewed on-line. The two-part presentation showcased several platforms – centralized locations for products, services and tools – and described how some microenterprise programs are using them to increase scale, sustainability and impact. Learn more about the series. View Webinar.

New report examines EDS findings. A new FIELD publication shares findings from a three-year, W. K. Kellogg-funded demonstration involving partnerships at six rural sites that created Entrepreneurial Development Systems (EDSs) to stimulate entrepreneurship and revitalize their distressed economy. The report includes examples of how the various EDSs were structured, and lessons learned that should prove instructive to those interested in gaining a better understanding of the concept, or in creating an EDS. Learn more.