Lend for Philly Microfinance Competition

Posted by on March 03, 2014

LEND FOR PHILLY ANNOUNCEMENT

Lend for America is seeking socially conscious, entrepreneurial students in Philadelphia.

This spring, with the support of the Knight Foundation, Lend for America is launching a contest for students to win $5,000 in seed funding to launch a campus based microfinance institution.

The contest is called Lend for Philly.

Why: To provide long term opportunities for Philadelphia student leaders to engage with the local community and leverage their numbers and talent to tackle enduring challenges of financial self-sufficiency, enterprise development, and job creation

Who: Colleges and Universities in the Delaware Valley Region

When: Mar 3 – May 1, 2014

What: A regional contest for college students in Philadelphia to win $5,000 to use to fund microloans to small business owners, to register a nonprofit organization, to print materials, to purchase supplies, or other start-up costs for new campus based microfinance institutions.

How: Student participants will go to meet small business owners at storefronts or at the business location. Using the contest’s custom mobile website on any smartphone, students will document 2 min interviews with business owners. The team with the most businesses wins $5,000.

Lend for Philly provides a unique opportunity for students to gain work experience while giving back to their community. Participants acquire skills in finance, negotiation and management to make them competitive in the job market post-graduation—while helping grow the businesses of real, local entrepreneurs.

To learn more, contact Vanessa Carter at [email protected] or 602-738-2629.