invest in women, invest in America

OUR MISSION

The Invest in Women Entrepreneurs initiative creates wealth for women. We empower women by amplifying access to grants from capital from private, corporate, and government sources, fostering the expansion of women-owned businesses. Working together with our network of female business leaders enables us to help secure a robust economy for all of California.

Women Pioneering the Next Economy

In 2019, women-owned businesses “generated $1 trillion in revenues,” as noted by Nancy Swift, Chair of California’s Women’s Business Center Network. Empowering women entrepreneurs is not just about fairness—it's about fueling our economic engine.

“Women-owned businesses could produce $6.8 trillion if they [recieved proper support]... Morgan Stanley calls [this] missed opportunity a lost $4.4 trillion.”

- California Women’s Business Center Network, “Women Shaping the New Economy,” (2020)

Battling inequalities, only 5% of women business owners received PPP loans in 2020. Invest in Women Entrepreneurs (I-WE) urgently works to support women entrepreneurs, especially after the pandemic, because of the massive economic contributions they make and the disproportionate challenges they face. Women business owners are the resilient leaders we need!

I-WE REPORT:

What women-owned businesses want

Discover women’s potential. Thanks to the Women's Business Enterprise Council (WBEC), our survey with WBEC-West and WBEC-Pacific revealed that women-owned businesses are poised for expansion with debt financing. Yet, with many women relying on personal credit and savings, the right financial advice could unlock a vast market for growth.

The Economic Impact of Women-Owned Businesses

Our Findings:

• 38.5% of women-owned businesses will expand with debt financing.

• Financing these women-owned businesses has the potential to create 1,088 jobs.

the hidden opportunity

Over twelve million women-owned businesses thrive across the US. However, the US Small Business Administration's Office of Women's Business Ownership allocates a mere $18 million to 100 Women's Business Centers (WBCs), reaching just 145,000 women entrepreneurs in 2017. Doubling this investment to $36 million could support 300,000 women entrepreneurs, potentially creating nearly a million jobs and adding $5.4 billion in economic value to local communities. This translates to an impressive $150 return for every dollar invested.

When women entrepreneurs get support through coaching, capital, and connections, they go on to build strong, sustainable businesses that create financial security and fuel our economy. Let’s empower women-owned businesses and enrich our world.