The blog
Field writing, by the team doing the work.
Reflections, strategy notes, and practical pieces from SourceLink practitioners.
Funding & Resources
Latest Update on the SBA Community Navigator Funding Opportunity
The SourceLink team has kept a close eye out for updates since the U.S. Small Business Administration first released the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Community Navigator Pilot Program. The program aims to...
Network news
Celebrating Entrepreneurship-led Economic Development this Economic Development Week
According to my friend Jeff Finkle (pictured right), president of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), “Supporting entrepreneurs and small-business owners with creating and growing their local companies is a...
Ecosystem Building
How to engage resource partners: continuing the conversation
During our March Quarterly Conversation, affiliates discussed the challenges moving from individual entrepreneur support organizations to a collaborative, community-based model. The affiliates that joined the conversation in March wanted to...
Entrepreneurship
Women entrepreneurs find success despite lack of access to investment capital
Throughout history there are numerous success stories of female entrepreneurs, yet women continue to face a number of challenges when starting and growing their businesses. From Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, a...
Network news
Goals in Action: A Look Inside March’s Quarterly Conversation
After such a challenging year, we asked our affiliates at our December Quarterly Conversation to identify and prioritize what they’d like to accomplish in 2021. We then discussed their plans...
Funding & Resources
SBA Announces Community Navigator Model and Funding Opportunity
The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced the creation of a new Community Navigator Pilot Program to place significant financial resources into organizations that wish to be hubs of entrepreneurship...
Ecosystem Building
How mayors can lead the way for entrepreneurial ecosystem building
Supporting entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses is key to economic mobility, opportunity and growth. But it's one thing for city leaders to "talk the talk" and quite another to implement a...
Entrepreneurship
How to Build an Inclusive Entrepreneurial Community
While creating a diverse ecosystem that supports diverse entrepreneurs is emerging as an important economic development strategy, many communities struggle with how to create an environment that truly fosters inclusivity. Hear from minority entrepreneurs, and those who work with them, ways that you can foster inclusivity and diversity in your entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Entrepreneurship
SourceLink Commits to Innovation In Key Partnership with NLC
Innovation is never born in a silo, and solutions are always meant to be shared. That’s precisely the philosophy behind the City Innovation Ecosystems program from the National League of Cities. At SourceLink, we are proud to continue to support the NLC's NIE program and have gained commitments from three new cities to become actively engaged in the program to right resource inequality and drive innovation across the country.
Network news
New Beginnings: A Look Inside December's Quarterly Conversation
Each quarter, we are proud to bring together our affiliates for conversations around industry trends or challenges; we share best practices and insights gained from the previous quarter and celebrate in each other's successes. Our affiliates gathered virtually in December for our last Quarterly Conversation of the year, and to celebrate entrepreneurship community building. Together, we said “Good-Bye 2020, Hello to New Beginnings.”
Network news
SourceLink 2020 Year in Review
A review of all the amazing things the SourceLink network was able to accomplish in 2020.
Network news
Our Gift in 2020 Was You
I have been given hope this last year by our SourceLink network’s ability to rise to the extraordinary challenges of 2020.