- H O M E
- Campaigns
- Wish Lists
- Grassroots
- Events
2010 Annual Fund

"WEV does what I believe in."
Martha Pilorz, WEV donor
WEV creates jobs. An ailing economy needs a cure - not a band-aid. WEV clients served in 2008 alone created 218 new jobs in 2009 and created and retained a total of 396 jobs. These businesses generated nearly $1.5 million in state and local tax revenues - more than WEV's entire annual budget. Multiply that by the nearly 20 years that WEV has been serving our community and you have a major economic impact.
Yet funding is drying up both for WEV and for the small business owners we serve. In 2010, WEV is experiencing a 60% shortfall in foundation grants and a 43% shortfall in corporate gifts.
Small business and by that I mean truly small - microenterprises with five or fewer employees - are the one bright spot in the economic picture. Yet where is the support? While the U.S. Treasury bailed out banks to the tune of $750 BILLION - banks who won't lend to small businesses - it awarded only $104 MILLION this year to community development financial institutions across the nation like WEV who DO lend to small businesses - that's .01% - one hundredth of one per cent of what the banks received.
Am I mad? Yes. And you should be too. People want jobs, not handouts. And those jobs are being created by WEV clients. During the three years following the 2001 recession, 79% of the net new jobs were created by businesses with four or fewer employees. According to the Kauffman Foundation, new start-ups create three million new jobs each year while established businesses LOSE one million.
Unfortunately, too many funders think that a recession is a bad time to start a business - they prefer to support job training or give handouts. But job training doesn't create jobs and handouts provide only a short term band-aid. Many people who have lost their jobs in this recession - especially those who are middle-aged or older - will never find another one. Their only hope is to create their own.
At a time of such great need, WEV is forced to cut back our services unless people like you can help us fill our $200,000 funding gap.
You are WEV's bright spot. Individual donors are the only category of givers that have maintained and even increased their level of support to WEV during the recession. We are truly grateful for the vision and commitment of people like you - that's why it is so hard to ask you yet again, to give and give generously. But ask I must: our future depends on it.
$2,500 will pay for one low-income client to complete our 14-week Self-Employment Training Program. $5,000 will provide a whole year's worth of training, coaching and technical assistance for an existing business owner who is striving to stabilize and grow his or her business. But don't let those bigger amounts scare you. Every amount counts. $25 or $50 helps. And if you can give that amount monthly it adds up to a big donation. So make a monthly pledge. You can even put it on your credit card. Don't think that you can't make a difference, because you can. You always have.
So gratefully,

Marsha Bailey
CEO and Founder
- Ways to Give
- Start a Grassroots Fundraiser
- Share this Fundraiser
- Get a link to send to friends
- Get a button to link to this fundraiser
One Time Online Donation
Select this option to make a secure, online credit card donation.Recurring
If you would like to automatically charge a donation to your credit card each month, choose this option.Check by Mail
Choose this option if you would like to make a donation with a hand-written check.Gift Card
If you have any unused gift cards (like Costco, Starbucks, etc.), you can donate them by choosing this option.Stock Transfer
If you would like to fund your donation with a stock transfer, choose this option.Pledge
If you would like to make a donation that you will pay over time, then please select this option.Get a Link to Email Family and Friends
Copy and paste the following link into your next email, or even add it to your signature. It only takes a second and you'll be helping out a good cause.
Shortened url:
Or, the full url:
Get a Button to promote this fundraiser
| Take the user to the "2010 Annual Fund" page to learn more about the fundraiser: | |
|
small (100x30) medium (150x44) large (200x60)
|
|
|
Take the user to the first step of the donation process for "2010 Annual Fund":
|
|
|
small (100x30) medium (150x44) large (200x60)
|
|
- Karen Bogart - Board Chair - Help women achieve self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship
- Ann Hutchins - Board Treasurer - Help women achieve self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship
- Brenda Allison - Board Secretary - Help women achieve self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship
- Matthew Berger - Board Member - Help women achieve self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship
- Linda Braunschweiger - Board Member - Help women achieve self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship
- Elena Brokaw - Board Member - Help women achieve self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship
- Marni Brook - Board Vice Chair - Help women achieve self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship
- Anita Chambers - Board Member - Support small business help and economic growth!
- Simon Dixon - Board Member - Support small business help and economic growth!
- Dianne Duva - Board Member - Support small business help and economic growth!
- Irene Escardo - Board Member - Support small business help and economic growth!
- Hannah-Beth Jackson - Support small business help and economic growth!
- Kathy Odell - Board Member - Support small business help and economic growth!
Women's Economic Ventures
333 S. Salinas St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
http://www.wevonline.org/
Contact: Women's Economic Ventures (WEV)
Women's Economic Ventures (WEV, pronounced "weave") is a local, non-profit organization dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women.
