Publications & Events

BOI shares findings from its research, evaluation, and peer learning activities in a variety of formats. Our publications share emerging and best practices, document data findings, and identify critical industry and market trends. Browse our publication topics below, or search our full list of publications here.

We also host public events and webinars that highlight industry trends, share research results, and illuminate strategies for addressing issues relating to business ownership and economic opportunity. Many of our events are co-sponsored with our colleague programs at the Aspen Institute.

Explore the Archive

All Publications from the Business Ownership Initiative

Assessment Tools for Microenterprise Training & Technical Assistance 
Publications

Assessment Tools for Microenterprise Training & Technical Assistance 

This manual features 13 easy-to-follow tools geared to practitioners who want to more systematically understand and assess the value of their training and technical assistance services.

FIELD Forum Issue 7 – Recruiting, Assessing, and Screening TANF Recipients
Publications

FIELD Forum Issue 7 – Recruiting, Assessing, and Screening TANF Recipients

This issue explores the challenges of recruiting TANF recipients to microenterprise programs and describes the assessment and screening components used to help clients determine whether self-employment is a sound option given the current time-limited welfare system.

Fostering Entrepreneurship Through Training and Technical Assistance
Publications

Fostering Entrepreneurship Through Training and Technical Assistance

This publication describes: the varied content provided in training and technical assistance programs; some of the rich innovation occurring today; emerging responses to ongoing business needs; and the challenge of assessing the impact of training — particularly as it relates to costs and business outcomes.

Business Capital for Microentrepreneurs: Providing Microloans
Publications

Business Capital for Microentrepreneurs: Providing Microloans

This publication summarizes for those new to the field some of the key issues surrounding microcredit, including the principal methodologies and current product innovations.

Microenterprise Development Works!: Outcomes for Clients
Publications

Microenterprise Development Works!: Outcomes for Clients

This publication summarizes the data on tangible outcomes for clients associated with microenterprise programs.

Microenterprise Development in the United States: An Overview
Publications

Microenterprise Development in the United States: An Overview

This publication concisely describes the evolution of microenterprise development, its track record, costs and future challenges.

Sources of Public Funding
Publications

Sources of Public Funding

This publication offers a concise overview of various public funding sources for microenterprise programs – describing state, local and federal programs.

Making the Connection: Appalachian Center for Economic Networks
Publications

Making the Connection: Appalachian Center for Economic Networks

This publication takes an in-depth look at how ACEnet is helping low-income entrepreneurs link their products to the rapidly growing specialty and natural food sectors.

Program Design for Microenterprise Development
Publications

Program Design for Microenterprise Development

This fact sheet introduces some of the key issues those designing a microenterprise program should consider – from the appropriate organizational settings to matching target groups with appropriate strategies.

FIELD Forum Issue 5 – New Grant Cluster Focuses On: Achieving Scale
Publications

FIELD Forum Issue 5 – New Grant Cluster Focuses On: Achieving Scale

Eight organizations recently were awarded two-year, $100,000 grants by FIELD to test promising approaches for achieving scale in the microenterprise services they offer.

FIELD Forum Issue 4 – Follow-Up Services: Post-Loan and Post Training
Publications

FIELD Forum Issue 4 – Follow-Up Services: Post-Loan and Post Training

Explains the challenge behind providing follow-up services and describes the five grantees participating in a two-year demonstration led by FIELD.

FIELD Forum Issue 3 – Designing Microenterprise Programs for Welfare Recipients
Publications

FIELD Forum Issue 3 – Designing Microenterprise Programs for Welfare Recipients

This issue profiles the projects participating in the Welfare to Work grant cluster and describes some of the challenges posed by welfare reform laws.

About the Business Ownership Initiative

The Business Ownership Initiative, an initiative of the Economic Opportunities Program, works to build understanding and strengthen the role of business ownership as an economic opportunity strategy.

About the Economic Opportunities Program

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.

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More from the Business Ownership Initiative

Metrics that Matter: Improving Financial Analysis of CDFI Small Business Lenders
Podcasts Videos

Metrics that Matter: Improving Financial Analysis of CDFI Small Business Lenders

CDFI boards, leadership teams, investors, and regulators have long relied on a familiar set of financial metrics to assess organizational performance.

From Crisis to Continuity: Optimizing CDFI Capital and Partnerships for Natural Disaster Response
Publications

From Crisis to Continuity: Optimizing CDFI Capital and Partnerships for Natural Disaster Response

Traditional emergency aid through SBA or FEMA takes time, and lower-income communities often face significant approval hurdles. Speed is essential to business survival.

The New Era of Small Business Finance: Access, AI, and Accountability (Highlight reel)
Videos

The New Era of Small Business Finance: Access, AI, and Accountability (Highlight reel)

VIDEO — Highlight reel from “The New Era of Small Business Finance: Access, AI, and Accountability,” a forum hosted by the Aspen Institute’s Business Ownership Initiative and the Responsible Business Lending Coalition on March 5, 2026.

The Changing Role of Small Business Ownership
Videos

The Changing Role of Small Business Ownership

VIDEO — This discussion is the first of three that took place as part of “The New Era of Small Business Finance: Access, AI, and Accountability,” a forum hosted by the Aspen Institute’s Business Ownership Initiative and the Responsible Business Lending Coalition on March 5, 2026.

Main Street Challenges and Policy Solutions
Videos

Main Street Challenges and Policy Solutions

VIDEO — This discussion is the third of three that took place as part of “The New Era of Small Business Finance: Access, AI, and Accountability,” a forum hosted by the Aspen Institute’s Business Ownership Initiative and the Responsible Business Lending Coalition on March 5, 2026.

Innovations Driving Small Business Lending Forward: It’s Not All About AI
Videos

Innovations Driving Small Business Lending Forward: It’s Not All About AI

VIDEO — This discussion is the second of three that took place as part of “The New Era of Small Business Finance: Access, AI, and Accountability,” a forum hosted by the Aspen Institute’s Business Ownership Initiative and the Responsible Business Lending Coalition on March 5, 2026.

To Help Small Businesses Recover From the L.A. Fires, Invest in Community Lenders
Blog Posts

To Help Small Businesses Recover From the L.A. Fires, Invest in Community Lenders

Nonprofit lenders often deploy funds faster than the government but need more capital to meet demand.

Integrating a Job Quality Practice in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs): A Q&A
Publications

Integrating a Job Quality Practice in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs): A Q&A

This Q&A provides insights and lessons from the work of 11 CDFIs that participated in Shared Success, a job quality demonstration led by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program (EOP).