Grow Jobs.

Increase Wealth.

Improve Neighborhoods.

Advance Equality.

Follow NEI’s journey in creating an inclusive small business support network.

Then, take your own.

NEI used philanthropic dollars to diversify the economy in metropolitan Detroit by creating a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, with a focus on supporting underserved small business owners. This site explains how NEI accomplished this, and includes NEInsights specific to its successes and challenges in southeast Michigan.

NEI’s Impact

years

of collaboration and trust-building

More than

companies

assisted

576 grants totaling over

million

to business support organizations

Over

people

employed

Over

billion

in leveraged capital

people

exposed to entrepreneurial services through programs, workshops and events

Learn how supporting underserved small businesses can

change the trajectory for struggling neighborhoods.

Explore the 
how to guide

Why supporting small business matters

Learn how supporting underserved small businesses can change the trajectory for struggling neighborhoods.

Reaching underserved small businesses

Learn the characteristics of underserved small businesses and how to identify and support them.

Reaching underserved small businesses

Learn the characteristics of underserved small businesses and how to identify and support them.

Finding business support organizations

Learn what business support organizations (BSOs) are and how to identify them within a community.

Creating a robust network for small business support

Learn how to build and operate an inclusive small business support network that creates a collaborative culture.

Creating a robust network for small business support

Learn how to build and operate an inclusive small business support network that creates a collaborative culture.

Stewarding the network

Learn about the varying roles of the network steward, from catalyst to analyst, convener to funder, in developing, sustaining and elevating an inclusive business support network.

Measuring impact

Learn about how evaluation results help to refine programming, energize investments, build collaboration, and multiply impact.

Measuring impact

Learn about how evaluation results help to refine programming, energize investments, build collaboration, and multiply impact.

Influencing policy

Learn how to use proven economic outcomes effectively to gain the attention of public stewards and, ultimately, influence policy that supports underserved small businesses.

What’s next

Delve deeper into NEI’s branded programs with case studies.

Read detailed impact reports, access videos, and dig into other great learning.

Explore NEI’s timeline, from early beginnings to later-year pivots to its most recent COVID-response.

Delve deeper into NEI’s branded programs with case studies.

Read detailed impact reports, access videos, and dig into other great learning.

Explore NEI’s timeline, from early beginnings to later-year pivots to its most recent COVID-response.