Centro Community Partners

TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO LOW INCOME ENTREPRENEURS WITH EDUCATION BUSINESS ADVISING MENTORSHIP AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL.

TO ACCOMPLISH ITS PURPOSE, CENTRO HAS AFFILIATED ITSELF WITH MULTIPLE LOCAL AND GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT DISPENSE BASIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING, FACILITATE BUSINESS STUDENTS AS ADVISORS, AND GIVE ACCESS TO CAPITAL WHEN THE ENTREPRENEURS ARE READY.CENTRO DIVIDES ITS PROGRAM INTO SEVEN ACTIVITIES AS FOLLOWS:BASIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM (BEP) - ACTIVITY IS DESIGNED FOR INDIVIDUALS PRIMARILY ON THE IDEA STAGE OF THEIR BUSINESS AND WHO HAVE NOT BEEN EXPOSED YET TO ANY BUSINESS EDUCATION. THIS ACTIVITY IS NINE SESSIONS THAT TEACHES ENTREPRENEURS ABOUT BASIC BUSINESS FUNCTIONS SUCH AS STRATEGY, BUSINESS FINANCE, MARKET ANALYSIS, OPERATION, PERSONAL BUDGETING THAT LED TO THE CREATION OF A BUSINESS PLAN. THE BEP PROGRAM IS OFFERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOTCAMP - ACTIVITY IS A BASIC, ONE-DAY OR TWO-DAY WORKSHOP FOR INDIVIDUALS SEEKING AN ACCELERATED PROGRAM TO CREATE A BUSINESS PLAN AND LAUNCH A NEW SMALL BUSINESS. THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOTCAMP IS OFFERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.ADVANCED ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM (AEP) - ACTIVITY IS CREATED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED A BASIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM OR SIMILAR TRAINING, HAVE A PORTFOLIO OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES, AND WANT HELP DEVELOPING A BUSINESS MODEL THEY CAN ACT UPON. THE 10 SESSION AEP IS DESIGNED FOR ENTREPRENEURS TO VALIDATE THEIR BUSINESS MODELS AND LAUNCH OR GROW THEIR BUSINESSES. THE AEP TEACHES PARTICIPANTS TO ANALYZE, DESIGN, AND IMPLEMENT BUSINESS PLANS. THE AEP IS OFFERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.CENTRO CAPITAL HUB ACTIVITY THAT CONNECTS ENTREPRENEURS TO CAPITAL AND GRANTS, INCLUDING KIVA ZERO INTEREST LOANS UP TO $15,000, GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND SBA FUNDS.ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUITE (E-SUITE) - ACTIVITY IS CENTROS TURN-KEY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SOLUTION THAT IS OFFERED TO OTHER NON-PROFIT MDOS TO ADOPT CENTROS TECHNOLOGY AND CURRICULUM TO PROVIDE ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMS FOR LOW-INCOME WOMEN AND BIPOC ENTREPRENEURS IN OTHER GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.CENTRO BUSINESS PLANNING APP (CENTRO APP) ACTIVITY IS A FREE MOBILE SELF-PACE TOOL THAT WALKS ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH A SERIES OF FUN ACTIVITIES TO PRODUCE A MICRO-LOAN READY BUSINESS PLAN ON THEIR PHONE. THE CENTRO APP ALSO SERVES AS A PLATFORM TO BUILD LOCALIZED VIRTUAL MICROENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEMS HOSTING LOCAL MICROLENDERS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (CDFIS) AND MICROENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (MDOS), CONNECTING LOW-INCOME BIPOC (BLACK, INDIGENOUS, PEOPLE OF COLOR) ENTREPRENEURS AND COMMUNITIES WITH LOCAL RESOURCES AND IMPROVING ECONOMIC OUTCOMES. IT IS OFFERED IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, RUSSIAN AND PORTUGUESE, AND HAS DELIVERED BUSINESS PLANS IN 156 COUNTRIES.ADVISORY SERVICES ACTIVITY THAT ALLOWS AN ACCESS TO QUALITY MENTORSHIP AND BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES HELPS ENTREPRENEURS ACCESS AND CONNECT WITH SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORS, WHO CAN ASSIST UNDERSERVED ENTREPRENEURS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND MINORITIES. DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, CENTRO CREATED THE RAPID RESPONSE ADVISORY TEAM TO BE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE QUALITY ONE-ON-ONE BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES COME BACK STRONGER.