The Washington CASH Business Accelerator’s mission is to help microenterprises grow their part-time businesses to full-time, sustainable ventures. The Business Accelerator serves as a conduit for increasing revenues by widening networking opportunities, eliminating isolation through a strong community of business owners, and providing individual professional office spaces.

Specific Responsibilities:

1. Editor On Call

• Through email and one-on-one interaction, assist business owners and BA manager with editing and revisions, and creation of basic brochures and collateral.
• Marketing: flyers, business cards, website suggestions
• Business correspondence: letters, contracts, etc.

2. Website Upkeep

• Update the BA website page as necessary.

3. Office Feng-Shui

• As clients enter the Accelerator, put together one page decorative posters for each client, including picture, bio, and logo. Mount on north wall.
• Contribute when necessary: Wash dishes. Make coffee. Know how to fix the printer.

4. Community & CASH Liason

• Attend workshops as support staff.
• Attend weekly staff meetings.

5. Social Media

• Become thoroughly versed in current social media, especially those applicable to microenterprise.
• Assist business owners in using social media to market their businesses.
• Read Mashable regularly.

6. Efficiency Building

• Create tutorials about the important but lesser known functions of Microsoft Office, social media networking sites, and other useful resources, for use by clients or Business Accelerator Manager.

Qualifications:
Must be proficient with Word, Excel and other office applications. Must have excellent written and oral communications and phone skills. Must demonstrate independence, an ability learn quickly, and attention to detail.

Time Commitment:
Minimum commitment of one day a week for at least three months preferred. More hours available if students wish for a more intensive internship. Flexible hours allowed. Schedule to be negotiated with Business Accelerator Manager.

Contact Mary Eriksson-Humphrey at mary@washingtoncash.org or (206) 352-1945, to get involved!

Author's Website: http://www.mykro.org

For those of you in Seattle, there is a private screening of “To Catch A Dollar.”  For those of you elsewhere around the country, look for the release in theaters or check to see if there are any private screenings in your town.

Thirty years ago, Mohammad Yunus, a Bangladeshi Banker, U.S. educated Professor, economist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient responded to the plight of the severely poor. He loaned only $27 to forty-two people, taking them out of a predatory life-long loan shark cycle and provided them the opportunity to work themselves out of
poverty. These were people too poor to ever qualify for traditional banking means.  And thus was sparked his development of the all new field of Microcredit and Microfinance.
Today, this Nobel-Prize winning strategy to end poverty has resulted in over a billion dollars being loaned by Grameen Bank and has helped millions of women in developing countries.  See how Grameen America is taking the same system to the streets of New York City.

When: Thursday, August 26th, 2010
6:00 pm – Reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres
7:00 pm – Private Screening & Special Guest Speaker
Where: Two Union Square
601 Union Street, 51st Floor
Downtown Seattle
Price: Ticket Levels: $100 | $50 | $25

Please RSVP to Fortunato Vega
(206) 336-1611
fortunato911@gmail.com

Watch the trailer:

Author's Website: http://www.mykro.org

I’m really looking forward to my trip to Ghana coming up in late October – my friend Dan and I are planning to fly to Accra about October 23rd after a month in Kenya. It’s been a couple years since I last visited the Dominican Republic and got an in person look at the impact microfinance has on the ground, but I couldn’t be more excited to get back out in the field! I’ll be helping Lumana Credit, a microfinance organization based in Seattle but focused in Ghana, for a couple weeks doing whatever they need — – I’m not sure what I’ll be helping out with as of yet, but that’s the fun of it. I’ve known their founder Sammie Rayner as a result of both being involved in the Seattle microfinance scene for the past couple years, and she’ll be working from Ghana at the same time my friend and I are planning on visiting!

Also, it sounds like my friend Sloane Berrent, who is a former Kiva Fellow, is going to pop in for a visit at the beginning of November for 10-14 days.

It’s still a little ways off, but looking like it’s going to be an awesome trip — I’ll certainly try to share some photos and stories here on myKRO.org during my stay!

Author's Website: http://www.ohheyworld.com

On Monday of this week, SKS Microfinance made its debut on the stock market.  All week long there has been speculation on how this will effect the economy of India and a how a leading microfinance organization will do in the public market.  Here’s a list of articles that dig into SKS further:

• Indian Market: Stocks On The Move
• SKS Microfinance a fantastic investment opportunity.
• SKS Microfinance Jumps in IPO Debut – WSJ.com
• Can microfinance be both moral and profitable?
• SKS Microfinance gains more than 16% on Listing
• Don’t like SKS Microfinance’s valuation ? Compete, don’t complain
• SKS fairly valued at current levels: Angel Broking
• Indian Investors Buy SKS Story; Scrip Lists At A Premium

Author's Website: http://www.mykro.org

Washington CASH (Community Alliance for Self Help), a local Seattle is hosting an event in Pioneer Square in September.  Washington CASH provides the business training, supportive community and capital to help enterprising individuals with limited financial resources gain self-sufficiency through small business ownership, is hosting an event in September called Cocktails For CASH.  Come enjoy music, free appetizers, and discounted happy hour cocktails in downtown Seattle where all donations will help people in our own community become small business owners.  This is a great opportunity to meet staff from Washington CASH as well as network with other microfinance enthusiasts in the community.
When: Thursday, September 16th, 4:30-7:30PM
Where: New Orleans Creole Restaraunt: 114 First Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
RSVP: Sonia@washingtoncash.org

Author's Website: http://www.mykro.org

Oikocredit Northwest is an all-volunteer Seattle-based non-profit Support Association of Oikocredit, a global leader in the microcredit sector.  Using funds provided by Oikocredit USA, Oikocredit Northwest is creating a part-time position (10-15 hrs./week) with growth potential.  This Outreach Coordinator will support and expand activities undertaken by a two year old board of directors who consist of diverse and busy professionals committed to a mission that promotes microcredit as a sustainable strategy for addressing global poverty, and Oikocredit as a particularly strong provider of microfinance.  Founded in 1975, Oikocredit is the world’s largest international private provider of microcredit, funding 530 microcredit banks and 230 community cooperatives in 71 countries.  Oikocredit USA offers individuals and institutions socially responsible investment products that provide an ethical financial dividend, and high social performance via microloans to 17 million of the world’s poor.

Examples of the Outreach Coordinator’s job duties include:

• Event planning, execution and publicity
• Membership recruitment, support and communications
• Support monthly board meetings and the work of board committees
• Track progress of tasks and functions assumed by individual volunteers
• Liaison with Washington DC office of Oikocredit USA
• Database management
• Other duties and tasks assigned by Board Executive Committee (to whom this position reports)

Ideal qualifications for this position include:

• Energetic, entrepreneurial self starter
• Excellent communication skills (both oral and written)
• Capacity to work from home
• Extremely detail oriented
• Experience both as a volunteer and in the coordination of volunteers
• Flexible personality
• Comfortable contact diverse constituencies including churches, foundations, community organizations and businesses
• Database management experience
• Demonstrated passion for global social and economic justice
• Familiarity with microcredit and socially responsible investing
• Proficient with word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software
• Additional means of material support since this part-time position pays $20/hour

Submit letter of interest and resume to joyceqe@yahoo.com by August 29, 2010.

Source: SeaMO

Author's Website: http://www.mykro.org

Over the last month, Grameen has been making a big marketing push by putting out all sorts of videos.  Drew recently posted a video where Grameen interns put together a rap video telling people to vote for the Grameen Bank in the Members Project. The intern video was pretty amateur, but Fred Graves just put out a video that has been dubbed the “World’s First Hip-Hop Microfinance Music Video,” check it out:

The Huffington Post recently posted an interview they had with Fred, take a look to learn more about Fred Graves and the Grameen Bank.

Author's Website: http://www.mykro.org

MicroPlace’s mission is to inspire individuals to make a difference in the fight against poverty by making investments that help the poor access financial systems. Our ability to deliver on our mission is entirely driven by our ability to engage with the public, generate enthusiasm for what we do and persuade them to join us in making a difference in the world.
Your mission as head of marketing for MicroPlace is to drive the strategy to successfully build a loyal and enthusiastic base of customers whose investments reflect their passion for poverty alleviation. We want you to bring energy, passion, creativity and a strategic orientation to our marketing efforts. You will be responsible for

• Creating and driving our marketing strategy: Your first order of business will be to understand the MicroPlace product and value proposition and come up with a plan of attack on how best to market Microplace and acquire investors.
• Leveraging the PayPal connection: MicroPlace has a unique opportunity to engage with millions of active PayPal users and have a conversation with them about making a difference in the world. You will be responsible for articulating a strategy on how to market MicroPlace to PayPal users and to drive the implementation of that strategy with the PayPal marketing organization.
• Engaging users to be evangelists: To be successful, MicroPlace needs to convert its users into evangelists. One of your primary responsibilities will be to figure out how to get new investors by getting our existing customers to market our product enthusiastically to their friends and family.
• Retaining our user base: Our biggest business driver is to get existing users to reinvest when their investments mature and up sell them on investing more with us. You will be responsible for optimizing our existing re-investment strategy.
• Creating communications and messaging: You will be the voice of MicroPlace and drive the communications and messaging strategy to our existing and potential investors on the website, our blog, newsletters, emails and our collateral.
• Driving brand recognition: You will actively work with our product team to develop a user experience both product and service delivery that delivers on our brand promise and accretes positively to the PayPal brand
• Building partnerships: MicroPlace also has an opportunity to work with partners and affiliates to drive user acquisition and investment dollars. You will be responsible for coordinating with our business development team on how best to work with partners to acquire investors
• Managing PR : You will be responsible for working with our PR agency to integrate PR into our marketing efforts.

If you are our ideal candidate
You will have

• At least 10 years of consumer marketing experience with at least three years as a web marketer
• The intellectual horsepower to drive the strategy around bringing a new category of product to market
• A strong understanding around developing product value proposition, positioning and branding
• Conceptualized and implemented online marketing programs successfully
• Exceptional verbal and written communication/story telling skills
• An eye and aesthetic sense for compelling and original creative
• Retail financial services marketing experience a plus
• An MBA

You will also be

• Highly analytical with an obsession to use data to test and learn what is effective in driving our marketing efforts
• Resourceful around leveraging existing execution infrastructure to get things done and not be afraid to get into the implementation details if need be
• Comfortable with internet advertizing, SEO/SEM, social media marketing, blogging etc.
• Passionate about marketing a product that has a global impact on a major social issue

Apply by
Email: Cablackwell@paypal.com
Website: http://www.ebaycareers.com/Home1.html

Source: The Silicon Valley Microfinance Network (SVMN.net)

Author's Website: http://www.mykro.org

Grameen Technology is hosting a networking/informational happy hour in Seattle tonight for anybody that is looking for some last minute plans and would like to learn more about Grameen Tech’s inititiatives. This is an opportunity to mingle with microfinance and technology enthusiasts as well as Grameen Foundation staff, including Tim Wood, their MoTeCH Director, who will be briefly discussing how mobile technology is improving healthcare for pregnant mothers in Ghana.

WHEN: Tuesday, August 17th 6:00pm – 9:00pm
WHERE: Spitfire Restaurant & Bar
2219 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA

Visit the Facebook event page or email dcruz@grameenfoundation.org for more info.

Author's Website: http://www.mykro.org

Vittana Ambassador Nathan Richardson, who I met in Los Angeles earlier this year, is going to Jordan for 16 weeks for a Fellowship for Vittana. But here’s the kicker – he needs YOUR help to fund the trip! He’s trying to raise $7,500 to cover expenses (which is nothing for 16 weeks). If you can afford to help him out, I know he would be extremely grateful. More details about the opportunity can be found on his blog:

My placement will be at the Microfund for Women which in the country of the city of Irbid in Jordan. For 16 weeks in 2011, I’ll be assisting in efforts to help alleviate poverty in the area through microfinance and education. To say this honor bestowed upon me is a once in a lifetime opportunity is definitely an understatement. I will be helping to start a program that doesn’t exist anywhere in the Middle East.

In addition to contributing to his fund via the ChipIn module (which can be found on Nathan’s blog), another great way to help out would be to spread the word about Nathan’s opportunity to anyone who you feel might be inclined to help.

In my mind, helping passionate people such as Nathan reach their goals and help others is a much better investment than your next big screen TV will ever be.

Author's Website: http://www.ohheyworld.com