In For the Count
Sharing the wealth is what it's all about.
When Iris J. Burnett and Nell Merlino received a call from a
representative for Jordan's Queen Rania regarding
microenterprise development, it was another validation of their
innovative program called Count-Me-In. Burnett and Merlino created
the program to revolutionize the way woman entrepreneurs raise
money.
"We want to build a national community of women who'll
invest in themselves and other women by donating to our fund,"
says Burnett. So far, Count-Me-In has raised about $1 million.
The money will be used to make $500 to $10,000 loans to women.
The loan application that entrepreneurs complete is markedly
different from traditional forms.
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"We have redesigned credit scoring to accommodate for
situations women find themselves in," explains Burnett.
"Instead of asking how many years they've been in
business, we ask, 'How many years have you been selling your
product or providing a service?' We know a lot of women have
been doing [business-related activities] on the side for five to 10
years but don't think of it as a business."
To qualify for a loan, women must make a donation to the fund
and have experience providing their products or services, although
they don't need to have a licensed business already. And you
don't have to apply for a loan to make a tax-deductible
donation. For more information or to apply online, visit www.count-me-in.org or call (888) 856-9806.