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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.

Action plan for the field. As the new administration took office in 2009, leading microenterprise leaders met to create an action plan for the field. Those ideas are summarized in a report from FIELD, Moving the Microenterprise Field Forward: Priorities, Strategies and Roles. A supplement, summarizing participants' contributions to a wiki used in connection with the meeting.

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 and podcasts highlight critical issues facing the microenterprise industry. These include FIELD's Leading Edge series funded by the Bank of America. 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.

MicroTest revamp underway. With funding from Rabobank, MicroTest is conducting a strategic planning process. To keep stakeholders engaged we've created the MicroTest Roundtable, a new on-line forum where regular updates are posted and readers can provide feedback. Click here to access the Roundtable.

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.

What's New RSS Feed

Trendlines fact sheets on job creation and market conditions for microlending. Two new fact sheets explore new industry data on job creation in microenterprise development and trends in demand, risk and funding. These fact sheets complement Webinars delivered earlier this year. Access all Trendlines Materials.

New MicroTest page features members’ savvy in collecting, managing and capitalizing on their Program Performance and Client Outcomes data. Explore examples of how leading programs are bolstering their key messages with MicroTest data.

The eighth edition of the CDFI Data Project’s, Providing Capital, Building Communities, Creating Impact: FY2008 Data, documents the work of community development finance institutions (CDFIs) investing $5.53 billion in new financing activity in Fiscal Year 2008, an investment linked to 35,624 jobs and 60,205 units of affordable housing. A supplemental section, authored by FIELD, presents data on 100 CDFIs that engage in microenterprise lending.

Key lessons learned from the Scale Academy for Microenterprise Development will be the focus of a session at the at the Virginia Microenterprise Network’s Annual Conference, September 30 – October 1, 2010, to be presented by Joyce Klein, FIELD Senior Consultant.

FIELD's new publication, Financial Literacy and Credit-building Services Among Microenterprise Development Organizations explores how microenterprise programs are revisiting or expanding their efforts in this realm. This "scan of practice" documents both the current body of work in the field, and emerging and promising new directions taken by practitioners.

Aspen/FIELD study on microenterprise client outcomes cited in San Francisco Chronicle article (August 4) announcing a new Bank of America grant program for microlenders.

Webinar on Raising Capital with an Individual Investor Strategy provides a deeper understanding of this capitalization structure and discusses both the costs and benefits of this strategy.

FIELD's new publication, Dollars for Dreams: Scaling Microlending in the United States, discusses the experiences and lessons learned by five leading U.S. microfinance organizations in increasing their microlending, even in the face of tough economic times.

Scaling Microlending in a Changed Economy FIELD's latest Funder Guide outlines key steps a small number of U.S. microfinance lenders have taken in order to scale their lending and the implications of their experiences for funders interested in supporting greater scale.

Webinar on Innovative Capitalization Strategies explores three different strategies that lenders have implemented to raise capital as well as examine their benefits, costs, and potential applicability for others.

Webinar on the Scale and Scope of the U.S. Microenterprise Industry now available for download. Learn about the latest data on the U.S. microenterprise industry from the FIELD program's comprehensive survey of the U.S. microenterprise field, conducted in 2009.

Updated highlights of comprehensive field-wide survey available. This updated guide includes key stats on size, scope and services in the U.S. microenterprise industry, with the new addition of estimates for the entire industry, presented through clear graphics and easy to understand text.

FIELD's searchable directory of almost 700 organizations now live. Streamlined profiles on each organization provide key facts on products, services and scale as reported in our comprehensive field-wide survey conducted in 2009.

New MicroTest publication available. What are the latest results of microenterprise programs reporting performance data to MicroTest on their outreach, scale, activities, costs and sustainability? A concise set of datasheets illustrates key findings from the FY2008 program performance data collection effort.

Job Creation Webinars - In the current economic context, it's all about jobs. Two recent FIELD Webinars on job creation are now available for download. The first webinar uses data from MicroTest to explore employment generation by microenterprises; the second webinar features leading practitioners sharing new program components that support job creation.

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