The Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) was featured as one of two case studies in a national publication on student-led microfinance programs. The report was written and published by FIELD at the Aspen Institute.

Titled “Catching Fire: The University Microenterprise Movement in 2012,” the report documents the growth and creativity of this unique model of service delivery in the microenterprise sector.

More info from Elaine Edgcomb, Director of FIELD and co-author of the study:

“University students delivering microenterprise services and microfinance? With some scale and effectiveness?

“Over the last few years, university-born and student-powered microenterprise organizations have emerged offering direct services (both training and financing) to low-income individuals and small businesses in their local communities. FIELD has closely watched the movement evolve, and FIELD’s latest study “Catching Fire: the University Microenterprise Movement in 2012″ describes the contributions this movement is making both to individual communities and the larger field. The paper provides two case studies of the Community Empowerment Fund in North Carolina, and Capital Good Fund in Rhode Island that illustrate its potential, and points out the next challenges that the movement must address if it is to fully capitalize on that potential.”

Our thanks and appreciation go out to FIELD, the Aspen Institue, and the Mott Foundation for their thorough research and thoughtful interviews. Thank you for documenting this work!