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Citi Microenterprise Researchers Program
Funded by the Citi Foundation, the Citi Microenterprise Researchers Program will place 20 graduate student interns in microenterprise programs nationwide in 2008 to help collect high-quality client outcomes data. The interns also will participate in additional activities designed to expose them to the domestic microenterprise field. The internship program will contribute additional original research to one of the largest data sets on domestic microentrepreneur experiences in the United States. In addition, the internships will introduce a group of talented graduate students to career opportunities in the microenterprise development field.
Abilities Fund evaluation
FIELD is engaged in a two-year evaluation of an Abilities Fund initiative designed to raise awareness of the opportunities and resources available to people with disabilities who want to pursue self-employment. The initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, will train selected staff involved in vocational rehabilitation in how to help those with disabilities to start and grow businesses.
Conducted in collaboration with the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce, this multiyear project is exploring ways to strengthen the infrastructure in Michigan that supports small business development, with a goal of helping integrate microenterprise development into state entrepreneurship and economic development strategies. As part of the data collection undertaken in the project, researchers used MicroTest IntermediaryŠ. To read a summary of the goals and research approach for the first year of the study, click here. To read the first year findings report entitled, Making Every Business Count: Findings from a Study of Michigan's Microenterprise Field, click here. A second phase of work will involve capacity-building for organizations serving Michigan's microenterprises.
Social Return on Investment (SROI)
From 2003-2005, MicroTest and FIELD: conducted research to understand existing SROI models and the need for a microenterprise-appropriate SROI; designed and tested a simple SROI calculation; and began conversations with a group of interested microenterprise programs about the possibility of developing a more in-depth SROI model.
Ms. Foundation Collaborative Fund for Women's Economic Development
FIELD has worked with the Ms. Foundation for Women's Collaborative Fund for Women's Economic Development (CFWED) to assess the program performance and client outcomes of 17 CFWED grantees engaged in either microenterprise or social-purpose businesses.
Microenterprise Data Collection Project
FIELD and the Association for Enterprise Opportunity collaborated to produce standardized, annual industry data used to periodically update the Directory of U.S. Microenterprise Programs.
Microenterprise Standards and Accreditation Project (MSAP)
MicroTest supports a national project managed by the Association for Enterprise Opportunity to establish standards and an accreditation process for the microenterprise industry.
The CDFI Data Project (CDP)
The CDP is a national project to develop a high-quality database on Community Development Financial Institutions, a role that FIELD and MicroTest staff are playing to ensure the inclusion of microenterprise financing in the CDP.
