BusinessAdvising.org’s parent nonprofit — Pacific Community Ventures — has fueled the economic and small business recovery since the end of the Recession five years ago. Our programs have created 1,297 jobs for working people in underserved communities, and empowered 867 companies across 25 states (thanks to BusinessAdvising.org). The small business owners in our BusinessAdvising.org network saw a 29% job growth, and the ones in our broader PCV network saw 12% job growth — vs. the U.S. average of only 2%.
[gview file=”http://businessadvising.pcv.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/06/PCV-Impact-Report-2014.pdf” save=”0″]Head here to download our impact report >
Reinventing Prosperity
Traditional small business lending from banks has slowed since the end of the recession, leading CDFIs like PCV to step up and fill that need. In 2014 our parent nonprofit doubled its small business lending from the year prior, providing $886,000 in working capital to help California small businesses create new quality jobs. But we also know that small businesses need more than just a paycheck. In 2014 we fully launched this unique and innovative BusinessAdvising.org platform, and scaled our small business advising program nationally.
Focusing on Small Businesses and Local Jobs to Combat Income Inequality
Small businesses create jobs — and 2014 was the best year for small business job creation since the ‘90s. But simply creating jobs won’t stem the tide of income inequality. The kinds of jobs being created, and where those jobs drive their wealth, matters just as much. “Mom and pop” businesses and entrepreneurial ventures bring stability and renewed energy to deteriorating neighborhoods, and help revitalize poor inner city, suburban and rural areas. And, studies have found that locally owned stores generate much greater benefits for the local economy than national chains do.
A community’s level of social capital and well-being is positively related to the share of its local economy held by local businesses; and small businesses donate about twice as much per employee to charitable organizations as large businesses. Even more striking: big-box retailers as a whole depress wages and benefits for retail employees, and median incomes have risen faster in places with more small businesses compared to those dominated by big businesses.
How You Can Help
Join BusinessAdvising.org and PCV in creating stronger communities. For every $3,000 invested in our programs, a job that pays an average of $43,000 is created. Visit www.pacificcommunityventures.org/donate and create a job today.
How else can you help? Shop small and independent when you can. If you’ve built up a body of business experience, volunteer your time as an advisor. And tip off a small business owner you’d like to support to the value of mentoring through a platform like BusinessAdvising.org.