About Microenterprise

What is a microenterprise?

A microenterprise is a business with 5 or fewer employees that can usually be started for less than $35,000.  A microentrepreneur is the business owner.  Typical microenterprises include childcare, gardening, specialty food production, arts and crafts, and business and personal services such as computer repair or hair and nail care.  Many times a microenterprise is started because a family needs a little bit of extra income to make ends meet.

Microenterprise works.  The proof is in the numbers.

Of microentrepreneurs who started out on welfare:
  72% increased their household income an average of $8,484 over 5 years
  They also increased their household assets by $15,909
  53% moved over the poverty line
  61% decreased their reliance on public assistance

From Microenterprise for Welfare Recipients:  A Tool for Self-Sufficiency by the California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity (CAMEO).  For more information, please visit their web site www.microbiz.org.

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Microenterprise Organizations

FIELD
The Aspen Institute
One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC  20036
Phone:  (202) 736-1071
Fax:  (202) 467-0790
www.fieldus.org

Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO)
1601 N. Kent Street, Suite 1101
Arlington, VA  22209
Phone:  (703) 841-7760
Fax:  (703) 841-7748
www.microenterpriseworks.org

California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity (CAMEO)
655 13th Street, Suite 201
Oakland, CA  94612
Phone:  (510) 238-8360
Fax:  (510) 238-8361
www.microbiz.org

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Useful Websites

US Small Business Administration (SBA)
Click here for help with planning your business!

CARAT (Technology Resource)
www.caratnet.org

Cal State East Bay Small Business Development Center www.eastbaysbdc.org/aboutus/index.html

International Institute of the East Bay
www.iieb.org

Legal Services for Entrepreneurs
www.lccr.com/lsehome.htm

Opportunity Fund
www.opportunityfund.org

Oakland Business Development Corp.
www.obdc.com

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