Women’s Business Center designation celebrated at Women’s Initiative Concord graduation

The pilot program of Women's Initiative launched in Contra Costa County earlier this year is in full swing. Thanks to Women’s Business Center designation by the Small Business Administration, Concord will have a fully operational site by the end of the year. The opening of the new Concord-based center at was announced at the graduation ceremony on November 15. The Small Business Administration is investing $150,000 in the Contra Costa program. The graduation celebration honored 25 graduates of the Women's Initiative program who are starting all types of businesses including: landscaping, restaurant, house cleaning, massage therapy, and clothing. The graduation also featured a mini tradeshow with three client businesses that sold jewelry and clothing, and shared food samples with hungry attendees.

Mayor Newsom visits Women’s Initiative training center in San Francisco

Mayor Gavin Newsom visited Women's Initiative's San Francisco headquarters to hold a focus group on the Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development's program: Enterprise Zone Tax Credits for San Francisco Businesses. San Francisco businesses are eligible for substantial tax benefits through two enterprise zone programs. The state Enterprise Zone program enables businesses in targeted locations to reduce their state income tax liability. These areas include; Hunters Point, Bayview, Chinatown, Financial District, SOMA, North Beach, Embarcadero, Mission, Potrero Hill, Tenderloin, Civic Center etc. The size of the businesses supported range from large companies to small restaurants.
Tax benefits include:

The Mayor believes the Enterprise Zone is great program, but admitted that few businesses are taking advantage of it. He came to the community for feedback. Forty stakeholders, among them organizations like MEDA, La Cocina, Women’s Initiative, and the SF Chamber of Commerce gave input on how to promote the program and reach especially small business owners. Some suggestions to make the program more accessible included simplifying the information and translating it into major language spoken in San Francisco. For more info about the program you can check the Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development website.

Business Trainer Milagros Acosta recognized by Bank of America’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative
Bank of America Charitable Investments announced this year’s recipients of the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative, designating funding to recognize, nurture, and reward organizations, local champions, and student leaders helping to rebuild and revitalize their communities in thirty-eight of the bank’s major markets across the United States. Women’s Initiative Business Trainer Milagros Acosta, who is also a graduate of the program, was awarded $5000 as part of the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative and she donated the money to Women’s Initiative. Here is what Bank of America had to say: “Milagros Acosta has been deeply involved with the Bay Area childcare community since arriving in the U.S. from Puerto Rico 20 years ago. For 12 years, she has trained Latina childcare providers on organization, scheduling, and business development skills. She teaches 10 classes a year through KQED’s PEP program, and has designed over 30 of their workshops.” Women’s Initiative is proud to have high caliber trainers like Milagros. Bank of America held an awards ceremony on November 6 to honor this year’s recipients. Congratulations!

Microbusinesses Going Green
Can a very small business go green without going under?

Recognizing the odds that are stacked against small businesses, many entrepreneurs focus on making money and plan on attending to the earth's survival later. But some Women's Initiative graduates aren't listening. Instead, from Day One they place a priority on conserving natural resources, minimizing waste and recycling.

"Going green" and "eco-friendly" are general terms that refer to efforts to promote the longevity of systems upon which human life depends, including agriculture, industry, development and natural resources. In short, owners of "green" businesses make choices and adapt their practices to sustain renewable resources.

A recent Women's Initiative survey indicates that a majority of the organization's graduates say they use some environmentally friendly practices in their business. For most that means taking basic steps, such as using low-wattage light bulbs, recycling paper and saving fossil fuels by buying supplies from local vendors.

Other Women's Initiative graduates are doing much more. These profiles of 10 businesses started by Women's Initiative graduates show that some are making a significant effort to be environmentally friendly. READ FULL ARTICLE about Women’s Initiative clients with green businesses.