Business Services
Business Support for You
Entrepreneurial support at the Initiative Foundation goes beyond just providing capital. We also offer a range of services, including entrepreneurial programming through our Enterprise Academy and Initiators Fellowship programs, and an array of supplemental training opportunities. Support can come in many forms—through one-on-one coaching or self-directed online training—for everything from crafting a business plan to basic bookkeeping or marketing guidance. Our goal is to meet you where you are, to bolster your business acumen, and to help you on the road to success.
Lending—With a Mission
As a certified Community Development Financial Institution, or CDFI, the Initiative Foundation works to create economic opportunity throughout Central Minnesota by lending funds to locally owned businesses. The Foundation’s lending initiatives play a crucial role in promoting economic development, revitalizing underserved communities, and fostering financial inclusion.
By providing access to capital and support to borrowers who may face barriers, CDFIs like the Initiative Foundation help to create opportunities for economic growth and empowerment in disadvantaged areas.
Entrepreneurial Programs
In addition to its Business Basics workshops and its partnerships to advance business succession planning across the region, the Initiative Foundation invests in the promise of local people who have the drive and determination to start and sustain job-creating, community-enriching businesses.
Enterprise Academy
Launched in 2018, the Enterprise Academy has helped hundreds of individuals realize their dream to build and launch local businesses. From accounting to food to healthcare ventures, Enterprise Academy graduates are enriching the region and beyond with their products and services.
Initiators Fellowship
The Initiators Fellowship is a bold strategy that gives next-generation leaders the tools and resources to accelerate their entrepreneurial and leadership skills—all for the greater good of Greater Minnesota.
Trainings and Workshops
Rural Business Success Series: Next-Stage Business Growth
In partnership with the North Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the Next-Stage Business Growth workshop is tailored for entrepreneurs ready to…
- Subject
- Business
- Location
- Brainerd
- Start Date
- September 12, 2024
Rural Business Success Series: Next-Stage Business Growth
In partnership with the North Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the Next-Stage Business Growth workshop is tailored for entrepreneurs ready to…
- Subject
- Business
- Location
- Little Falls
- Start Date
- September 12, 2024
Rural Business Success Series: Legacy Planning
In partnership with the North Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the legacy planning workshop is designed for small business owners who…
- Subject
- Business
- Location
- Brainerd
- Start Date
- September 20, 2024
Rural Business Success Series: Legacy Planning
In partnership with the North Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the legacy planning workshop is designed for small business owners who are interested…
- Subject
- Business
- Location
- Little Falls
- Start Date
- September 20, 2024
Rural Business Success Series: Legacy Planning
In partnership with the North Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the legacy planning workshop is designed for small business owners who are interested…
- Subject
- Business
- Location
- Lindstrom
- Start Date
- October 3, 2024
Contact Us
Reach out to a member of our staff for questions on the array of business services that we offer. We are here to help!
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