We are an association of organizations in Illinois that assist people in becoming self-sufficient through self-employment. Our mission is to enhance economic growth in lower-income communities by supporting the development of small businesses owned by those facing the barriers of race, gender, education, and access to capital. This growing field of microenterprise embodies a successful anti-poverty strategy, a growing opportunity for the working poor, and a tool for neighborhood renewal in distressed communities.

Our goals are to:

* Expand microenterprise training to underserved communities

* Increase access to capital for microenterprises in underserved communities in Illinois

* Assist and expand all other resources that support microenterprise services to underserved Illinois communities

* Establish a network of support for the growth of microenterprise initiatives