GROW Nebraska touted as top performers in new national guide

HOLBROOK, NEB. (July 10, 2006)—GROW Nebraska and the important steps it has taken in recent years to achieve greater sustainability are spotlighted in a new publication from the Aspen Institute’s Microenterprise Fund for Innovation, Effectiveness, Learning and Dissemination, known as FIELD.

The publication, Microenterprise Development Programs: The Entrepreneur Within, is part of FIELD’s new Funder Guide Series. The piece, which describes policies and practices that can help microenterprise development programs grow and become more stable, draws special attention to several ideas implemented by GROW. For instance, GROW’s referral program and scholarship program are described in a short case study, along with some of its revenue producing and cost recovery strategies.

Overall, the piece commends GROW for recognizing that its long-term success would require “becoming as entrepreneurial as its members.”

An affiliated fund of the Central Plains Foundation Inc., GROW Nebraska helps maximize the state’s entrepreneurial spirit and build the global reputation of Nebraska businesses by providing sustainable business environments through business-building marketing and education.

FIELD’s funder guides are designed to help donors better understand the microenterprise industry and make investments in it. The guides frequently include case studies to give donors concrete examples of how some microenterprise organizations are tackling challenges and to give other programs examples they may wish to emulate.

“We feel honored to be included in this funder guide and to be recognized for our efforts,” said Janell Anderson Ehrke, GROW Nebraska’s founder and CEO. “It certainly provides our program with credibility.”

FIELD is a project of the Economic Opportunities Program, one of 19 policy programs housed at the Washington, D.C.-based Aspen Institute. FIELD’s work focuses on identifying, documenting and disseminating best practices in the microenterprise field, and educating funders, policy makers and others about microenterprise as an anti-poverty strategy.

The funder guide – as well as additional information about GROW – can be accessed on the Web at: www.grownebraska.com.

FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Janell Anderson Ehrke at 888-476-9632