The Challenge
Entrepreneurship is a powerful tool to build both individual and community prosperity. But personal, professional, systemic, political, and economic barriers prevent many from accessing the benefits of ownership. Many aspiring entrepreneurs from our community experience financial instability, difficulty accessing safety net programs, exclusion from financial systems, vulnerability to predatory business services, and a lack of access to tailored and relevant support.
These barriers undermine individual and communal belief in accessible pathways to ownership. For example, marginalized communities may have a lack of trust in business support systems and financial institutions and, as a result, may not see entrepreneurship as a viable option. Ultimately, this results in an inequitable opportunity for economic inclusion and community autonomy as well as a poorly diversified economy.
The Opportunity
- Microbusinesses (those with 5 or fewer employees) comprise almost 90% of the nation’s businesses and create jobs for more than 32 million people.
- An annual increase of just $5,000 in revenues per microbusiness would generate more than $20 billion for our economy.
- Entrepreneurship increases economic inclusion when background, education, and household needs create barriers to financial stability.
- The median net worth of business owners is almost 2.5x higher than non-business owners. For Black women, the difference is more than 10x. For Latino men, the difference is 5x.
- The number of women-owned businesses increased by 21% between 2014 and 2019, compared to 9% for all businesses. That growth was even higher for businesses owned by women of color, which grew at a rate of 43%.
- Small businesses help maintain the cultural identity of communities.
Our Approach
RMMFI doesn’t just invest in businesses; we invest in people, and we do it with more than dollars. We view entrepreneurship as a system of people, businesses, and community, and our holistic approach brings these elements together to allow individuals to tap into the social and economic benefits of business ownership.
Our goal is to help entrepreneurs grow into business owners who can successfully shift and adapt to changing environments in their businesses and their lives. We know that personal foundations are essential for success, and RMMFI works with entrepreneurs to develop their personal stability, entrepreneurial spark, and business feasibility.
What sets us apart:
- Whole Entrepreneur Support: At the heart of every business is a person. It is ultimately the strength of these individuals that leads to the creation of healthy businesses and vibrant, prosperous economies. RMMFI builds genuine relationships and deep trust with entrepreneurs, then provides the individualized tools they need to activate their unique potential.
- Capital Meets Capacity: Without a purpose, capital can be destructive. RMMFI supports the journey of each entrepreneur with dedicated support including not only access to capital but also education, mentorship, technical assistance, peer accountability, and community connections.
- Community-Centered Approach: RMMFI’s model prioritizes leveraging existing community assets. We partner with and invest in trusted local organizations, and we recruit local mentors to support the entrepreneur journey.
Click here to learn more about the Idea, Launch, and Thrive phases of the RMMFI journey.
Who We Serve
RMMFI supports resilient Coloradans who are ready for business ownership that have faced marginalization, societal barriers, or low-wage employment. We work with entrepreneurs from a variety of high-barrier backgrounds across locations, ages, and demographics which results in a diverse, welcoming community of entrepreneurs.
RMMFI entrepreneurs:
- Want a community of support.
- Lack access to business support systems, including banking and financial institutions, and are seeking to overcome systemic barriers to financial independence.
- Want to move from places of low incomes (80% AMI or below) to building generational wealth.
- Want to grow their dreams into reality and define their own pathways to success.