Our Uncommon Voices

Rural entrepreneurship stands in direct opposition to antiquated tropes and builds vibrant, inclusive economies in their communities.

These Uncommon Conversations explore the personal experiences of recent Kauffman Scholars program graduates Vilmer Alvarado and Michaela Brooks as they reflect on the continued impact and legacy of the program.

The Kauffman Foundation-hosted panel discussed how increased access to opportunity, funding, knowledge, and support can help rebuild Black Wall Street and create a more inclusive future for us all.

The Plug founder, Sherrell Dorsey, writes that no one is waiting around for the powers that be to grant access to the resources needed for progress.

New IEDC initiative introduces entrepreneurship credentials for economic development pros.

A Q&A with Morris and Dr. Lateshia Woodley delves into the issues raised by the documentary and book Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in School.

Kauffman’s Nathan Madden evaluates the crisis that pre-dates our current crises – the crisis of what or whom to believe.

As 1 Million Cups communities across the country become virtual, rather than in-person events, communities remain in-tact and entrepreneurs can stay connected.

Opportunity America conducted a series of roundtables and a survey of immigrant entrepreneurs, seeking to understand the extraordinary entrepreneurial energy many newcomers bring to the U.S. and how the barriers they face are different from those confronting native-born founders.

Choosing to invest in the complicated task of evolving education to “future-proof” workers is smarter than trying to future-proof jobs.

Founder of the Latinx Education Collaborative knows firsthand the importance of representation in schools.

Choosing to invest in the complicated task of evolving education to “future-proof” workers is smarter than trying to future-proof jobs.

The democratization of entrepreneurship has built burgeoning hubs from Africa to Asia to South America providing evidence that mankind still understands what we can achieve when we work together to improve lives.

The system of capital decision making must change how capital flows in our economy. Here’s how Living Cities’ Catalyst Fund III plays a part.

Economist Rob Fairlie says the most recent update of the Kauffman Indicators of Entrepreneurship’s Early-Stage Entrepreneurship data illustrates a highly resilient entrepreneurial community in the face of COVID-19 as well as extended growth in self-starters among emerging majorities, specifically among Latino founders.

Chhaya Kolavalli writes that Kauffman’s Inclusive Ecosystems grant is focused on research that values community voice and pushes back against the accepted norm to collect data, and frame problems and solutions on communities, rather than with them.

Attendees of the fifth-annual Amplify event welcomed author Heather McGhee to discuss her work, education, and equity. Within that space, she placed them in the history of this moment to prepare all students for a more equitable future.

As the nation celebrates Labor Day this week, American workers who make one of the largest contributions to the economy continue to pay a price. Our readers call out the career obstacles and wage penalties facing women, and they offer creative solutions for changing the system.

Former mayor of West Sacramento, California, Christopher Cabaldon says cities and towns that break down systemic barriers to entrepreneurship will benefit from creating access to real economic opportunity, which can help the LGBTQ+ community.

In a time when it’s easy to feel isolated, four communities focus economic development on building strong entrepreneurial ecosystems – knowing that others are doing similar work, and are willing to share and support, makes a difference.

The Small Business Association (SBA) is the first stop for entrepreneurs seeking relief – plus other options for those who don’t qualify.

The Heartland Challenge RFP addresses the urgent need to grow and strengthen entrepreneurship support in the urban and rural areas of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas.

Written by PHILIP GASKIN

Kauffman Director of Education Sherman Whites proposes a shift in how we perceive philanthropy to confront the question, “How do we answer to call to care for each other?”

The creative disruption needed to transform the process by which our children are prepared for life after education is a challenge, but one stakeholders are embracing.

Mona Ahmed explores how her dad, Humayun Ahmed, ended up a gas station owner and serial entrepreneur supported by a community that cultivates its own network to overcome barriers to success.

With the impending rise of millennials as the dominant generation, social activism can no longer be an afterthought in business. Now, and into the future, businesses must be formed with a social consciousness as part of their core values.