Policy Agenda

Equity in Entrepreneurship

For the last 25 years, Ventures has proven that individuals with limited resources – including women, people of color, immigrants, and other underserved communities – can thrive as small business owners with an ecosystem of support. Through our Equity in Entrepreneurship campaign, we hope to achieve our vision of a nation where all individuals who seek to succeed as small business owners have access to the tools and resources they need to do so. To this end, we are actively advocating for:

Technical Assistance

  • Increased funding for training, coaching and incubation programs for micro-entrepreneurs
  • Increased funding for programs that provide access to capital for micro-entrepreneurs, including support for technical assistance providers

Economic Security

  • Funding and implementation of the Working Families Tax Credit
  • Expansion of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit

Food Justice

More than 40% of Ventures entrepreneurs own or operate a food-based business, and Ventures offers training, coaching, incubation, and access to capital for hundreds of food entrepreneurs each year. Starting and growing a food business is incredibly challenging, especially with limited resources, a lack of a robust business network, or limited English skills.

Many Ventures entrepreneurs persist and thrive despite these barriers – but policymakers can and should pursue policies that reduce barriers for underserved business owners. Specifically, we advocate for:

Access to Markets

  • Streamlined public health permitting processes through public-private partnerships
  • Fire safety permit reciprocity for mobile food vendors in different cities and counties

Home Cooking

  • Implementation of a Microenterprise Home Kitchens permit for home food preparation and sales, specifically targeted to support entrepreneurs with limited resources

For more information or how to get involved, contact Will von Geldern at wvongeldern@venturesnonprofit.org.