MEDIA RELEASE
November 2, 2021
Mi Casa Resource Center® expands its Business Pathways program to provide technical assistance to Colorado’s most underserved entrepreneurs with Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund
DENVER — As the Colorado economy picks up and more small business pivot from surviving to thriving, Mi Casa Resource Center® has been awarded a $350,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund to help small businesses get back to growing again.
Thanks to the Open for Business Fund, a roughly $420 million Wells Fargo small business recovery effort, Mi Casa will offer training, individualized consulting, and holistic case management to 1,300 Denver Metro area entrepreneurs through its Business Pathways program. Mi Casa supports primarily underserved Latino small business owners, inventors, and aspiring entrepreneurs with knowledge and a portfolio of resources. Demand across Mi Casa’s programs has increased as distressed communities have been even more impacted in recent times. This grant will help small business owners recover and emerge from the pandemic even stronger and more resilient.
Of the nonprofit’s success with creating pathways to business opportunity, Mi Casa Chief Executive Officer Angeles Ortega said, “With this vital support from the Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund, Mi Casa can help our local small businesses come back stronger after the hardships of the last year. For 45 years, Mi Casa has supported low-income, Latino families in the Denver area. We are uniquely positioned to serve the needs of our diverse communities. Our participants are 74% female, 81% Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and 82% low income. Business Pathways provides resources for startups, established businesses, and inventions moving forward. The impact is far reaching as each success helps entire families and communities thrive.”
For small businesses facing financial hardships and other business challenges, having access to trusted experts in areas like business planning, marketing, e-commerce, and financing can be a critical turning point for getting back to growth.
“Emerging from this unprecedented time, Coloradans who placed their entrepreneurial projects and inventions on hold are eager to bring them to fruition,” said Wells Fargo Colorado Region Bank President Keith Lobis. “Wells Fargo has a deep commitment to advancing the economic prosperity of all Colorado businesses. We are proud to support the work of Mi Casa Resource Center as they serve a vital role in bringing much needed support to diverse small businesses in the Denver Metro area.”
About Wells Fargo’s Open for Business Fund:
Wells Fargo’s Open for Business Fund is a roughly $420 million small business recovery effort created to help entrepreneurs stay open, maintain jobs and grow. Through this initiative, Wells Fargo is deploying grants to nonprofits and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to provide small business owners with greater access to capital, technical expertise and recovery resources, with an emphasis on supporting small businesses most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Small business owners looking for support can visit wellsfargo.com/together for tips and ideas.
About Mi Casa Resource Center: Founded in 1976 by seven mothers and one father in the Denver Metro area, Mi Casa Resource Center® educates, trains, and supports youth and adults along career and business pathways to grow their income and achieve lasting economic success. Focused on supporting income growth and employment — self-employment, formal employment, and everything in between — Mi Casa Resource Center® provides training and tailored support to help people take the next step on the journey toward economic and education success. Learn more at MiCasaResourceCenter.org.
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