Citi Foundation presents WEV with $25,000 check
Santa Barbara, CA. June 19, 2009 – On Wednesday, June 10, 2009, representatives of the Citi Foundation presented Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) Founder, Marsha Bailey and team with a check for $25,000 at the WEV office in Santa Barbara. The grant will be used to support WEV’s Small Business Loan Fund (SBLF) which provides start-up and expansion loans to pre-bankable micro-enterprises.
Citi and the Citi Foundation have supported Women’s Economic Ventures’ growth since 2002 through foundation grants and corporate sponsorship. Citi and WEV share two key goals in serving the community: 1) Small Business/Economic Development & Job Creation, and 2) Financial Education. Through Citi and the Citi Foundation’s support, WEV is able to assist entrepreneurs to prepare for business growth, and develop better understanding of the financial services that may be able to help them achieve their business goals.
“We are so grateful to the Citi Foundation for their continued support of micro-enterprises in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Ventura and beyond,” said Marsha Bailey, Founder and CEO, Women’s Economic Ventures. “Thanks to the support from Citi and our other dedicated sponsors, we can help small businesses expand and grow. In turn, these businesses provide jobs and economic development opportunities for individuals and families throughout the communities they serve.”
Citi and the Citi Foundation
Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 140 countries. Through its two operating units, Citicorp and Citi Holdings, Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. The Citi Foundation is committed to enhancing economic opportunities for underserved individuals and families in the communities where it works throughout the world. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.
Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV)
WEV is dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women across the globe. Since 1991, WEV has been providing self-employment training, technical assistance and microloans to primarily low-income women. Today, WEV offers a continuum of programs for women at every stage of the business lifecycle to help startup, launch, grow, and sustain a business. Services include comprehensive self-employment training program, advanced training, business counseling, coaching, and networking opportunities. WEV’s service area has grown to include north and south Santa Barbara County and Ventura County with offices in Santa Barbara and Oxnard. WEV’s Small Business Loan Fund provides start-up and expansion loans to pre-bankable microenterprises. WEV was designated a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in 1999 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In 2005, the Small Business Administration recognized WEV as the most productive Women’s Business Center in the nation. For more information please call 805-965-6073 or visit www.wevonline.org.