Our Crowdfunding Groups
Thank you so much for your support! Beyond just the donations, the encouragement you have given us, interest you have shown in the group, and enthusiasm you have for our mission is truly touching. You have validated the importance of impact investing and economic empowerment. You have given students a chance to continue to learn by working with small businesses. And above all, you have given small business entrepreneurs a chance to accomplish their dreams!
We will continue to provide updates on how the donations are being allocated and what these businesses accomplish. Thank you again!
Thank you for your support of Emory Impact Investing Group.
We are thrilled to announce that we are about 90 percent of the way to our goal with three days left in the campaign. We have almost $6,000 of matching funds still available, so additional gifts can still be doubled! If you know anyone passionate about supporting Atlanta’s micro-entrepreneurs, please send them to (https://momentum.emory.edu/emoryimpact) and let them know they have just three days left to donate.
EIIG has been very busy lately interviewing entrepreneurs from the spring cohorts of Social Enterprise @ Goizueta’s Start:ME Accelerator Programs. This past weekend our group voted on four entrepreneurs we would consider lending to in the coming months in addition to the two businesses currently in our due diligence process. Final decisions will be released after the Start:ME program concludes on May 4th. Stay tuned for an update.
Again, we strongly encourage you to reach out to people interested in donating so that we can support all of these incredible businesses!
EIIG is incredibly excited to announce that a donor has agreed to match 1:1 the next $10,000 that we are able to raise. Thanks to their generosity, we will now exceed our goal if we can secure the matching donations!
We thank you so much for supporting EIIG. If you can make an additional gift or know of others who are passionate about entrepreneurship and community development, please direct them to our page, momentum.emory.edu/emoryimpact. Donations will now have twice the impact!
We cannot express how meaningful this is to our organization. If we can fully utilize the matching contribution, we will be able to support four entrepreneurs next year. That's four entrepreneurs whose lives we can change, four businesses that otherwise would not exist, and four products or services that we can bring to these communities.
Thank you again for your continued support of EIIG and Atlanta's micro-entrepreneurs.
Thank you all so much for your generous support so far! We are over a third of the way to our goal, but we need your continued assistance if we want to provide loans to all of the worthy entrepreneurs we are evaluating. If you are able to make additional contributions or know of anyone else who might be interested in supporting entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, please direct them to our crowdfunding page at momentum.emory.edu/emoryimpact. They can also email Casey Rhode for more information at casey.rhode@emory.edu.
Right now, we are in the “Due Diligence” process with two entrepreneurs and are evaluating additional applications from both Social Enterprise @ Goizueta’s Start:ME Accelerators and the Center for Civic Innovation. We are going to need all the support we can get so that these entrepreneurs can launch or grow their businesses.
Thank you.
The personal relationships we are able to form with our entrepreneurs is what really makes EIIG special. These individuals inspire us and teach us about hard work and perseverance, but EIIG also provides incredible benefits to these businesses. Below are some testimonials from two entrepreneurs we have worked with to help them achieve their goals.
"The EIIG team has provided me with countless, invaluable hours of support. They have helped me identify and prioritize issues with the day-to-day operation of my business. They are eager to listen to my firm's needs, and the team has helped me find solutions that fit my particular business. My business has grown with the help of an EIIG loan, and we have streamlined our processes, created a workflow, and recruited key personnel. I am truly lucky and grateful to work with the EIIG team, including Brandon, Mary, Casey, Jonathan, Josh, and others."
$7,800 loan for office relocation and legal / billing software
“WUNDERgrubs has significantly benefited from the partnership with EIIG. Not only having access to capital but also to a well-equipped team of business graduates has proved quite valuable. With the financial and business modeling expertise, plus research capability and manpower support of the EIIG team, I am confident WUNDERgrubs is better poised for sustainable success in the metro Atlanta area.
For example, our regularly scheduled bi-weekly meetings, brainstorming, constructive criticism, and goal setting help keep me accountable as an entrepreneur, as well as focused on how to grow and improve my business model.”
$5,000 loan for shared kitchen space and meal worm incubator
We want more successful stories to share. Continue to support our campaign by spreading the word.
A large part of EIIG’s mission is focusing on the educational experience our student members receive. From the work we do with these micro-enterprises, students learn the real challenges of entrepreneurship and the hardships that many communities face. Moreover, our group structure helps students develop the skills of leadership, communication, and teamwork. Below are a couple of testimonials from EIIG’s student members on why they joined and what the group has meant to them.
Natasha Armstrong, Junior, Chief Investment Officer: I have always been extremely passionate about helping the community. When I found the opportunity to blend altruism with my interest in business through EIIG, I was elated! Working with driven and focused individuals like Akissi and Eden has been a life-changing experience that goes beyond words. Every dollar that we put toward helping entrepreneurs like them will enable our organization to continue making an extraordinarily positive impact in the communities around us.
Brandon Hirsh, Freshman, Team Captain (Eden): I joined EIIG immediately during my first semester at Emory because I felt it was important—both as a business major at Emory and as a community member in the larger Atlanta area—to give back in a direct and meaningful way. The power of microloans to develop underprivileged neighborhoods through the success of these small businesses is unparalleled. This group offers the entrepreneur the financial means to achieve their dream and provides Emory students with a chance to learn and interact with real businesses owners, discovering the true challenges of being an entrepreneur.
Thank you so much for supporting our mission. Continue to help us spread the word on why support matters.
EIIG is excited to launch its 2017 fundraising campaign to continue serving Atlanta’s promising microentrepreneurs. Thanks to the past support of our many donors, EIIG has grown tremendously over the last year. We have now executed three loans and have significantly expanded our entrepreneur pipeline to include alumni of Emory’s Start:ME Accelerators (run by Social Enterprise @ Goizueta) and social ventures from the Center for Civic Innovation.
We continue to set up partnerships and expand our presence around Atlanta. A small sample of the inspiring entrepreneurs that we have been in contact with include the following:
• Tietra Jones is the founder of Atlanta CNA Academy, which trains certified nurses to assist the elderly and disabled with activities of daily living. This is a critical, well-paying job and a stepping stone for a career in healthcare for those without advanced degrees.
• Doris Mukangu is the founder of Johari Africa, which uses the proceeds from sales of its African jewelry to reinvest in the community and provide fair-wage jobs to refugee women.
The number of businesses we can fund is limited only by the capital we are able to raise. And that is why we need your help! Every donor matters. Every dollar counts. Every entrepreneur makes a difference. Help us keep growing Atlanta, one micro-enterprise at a time by continuing to spread the word.
Thank you for making a gift. Please continue to support our campaign by spreading the word.
Your support of EIIG helps lay the groundwork for our goal of improving the economic vitality of Atlanta by closing the microenterprise gap.
Your donation will help an entrepreneur make the investment needed to grow their business.
Your donation exhibits a passion for empowering individuals to achieve their dreams through their business.
Your donation will enable an entrepreneur to bring on another employee, providing fair wages and sustaining the local community.
Your donation will single-handedly launch a small business. There is no telling what this entrepreneur will accomplish, how many jobs they will create, and what their business will mean to their community.