It has been a very fast start to the new year for WomenVenture and our nonprofit and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) peers. WomenVenture is navigating a rapidly changing environment due to significant federal changes in small business support resulting from executive orders targeting DEI initiatives aimed at marginalized communities, including women.
In this environment, we continue to deliver our core services to support clients with business consulting, lending, and training services while scenario planning to ensure we continue to deliver for our clients, our team, and our community. We are evaluating the landscape to understand and mitigate the potential real impact on our business and clients today and for years to come.
Roughly 15 percent of WomenVenture’s operating budget is funded through federal programs. As an SBA Microlender and Women’s Business Center, we are uncertain about how recent executive orders will impact our future funding, and even our ability to be reimbursed for work completed with federal agency partners. When faced with concepts like removing language about diversity, equity, and inclusion, we choose to ground ourselves in our name, WomenVenture, and our commitment to our mission, vision, and core values.
WomenVenture remains unwavering in our commitment to elevating all entrepreneurs and promoting and encouraging diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all aspects of our work. We align our services, policies, practices, and resources so that people of all races, cultures, gender identities, and socioeconomic statuses have genuine opportunities to thrive.
To sustain core mission operations, we need help from you — our amazing individual donors, corporations and foundations — more than ever. When you give to CDFI organizations like WomenVenture, at a minimum, $1 returns $12 to our local economy. We all benefit from fueling profitable and sustainable businesses.
Please show your support for WomenVenture, our clients, and our communities by donating and helping to power our collective journey. When our clients thrive, we all thrive.
With immense gratitude,
LeeAnn Rasachak
CEO, WomenVenture
