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

Creating Entrepreneurship Pathways for Opportunity Youth: Early Experiences from the Youth Entrepreneurship Fund Grantees
Publications

Creating Entrepreneurship Pathways for Opportunity Youth: Early Experiences from the Youth Entrepreneurship Fund Grantees

Entrepreneurship can help young people gain the skills and experience needed to succeed in the working world.

Exploring Employee Share Ownership as a Potential Investment Strategy in Opportunity Zones
Publications

Exploring Employee Share Ownership as a Potential Investment Strategy in Opportunity Zones

Expanding employee ownership is a demonstrated way to create quality jobs and increase employee wealth.

Fulfilling the Promise of FinTech: The Case for a Nonprofit Vision and Leadership
Blog Posts Publications

Fulfilling the Promise of FinTech: The Case for a Nonprofit Vision and Leadership

This Manifesto sets forth nLIFT’s vision, our values, and our theory of change within the fintech sector.

FIELD "Price of Access" Report Cover
Publications

The Price of Access: How Scale-Focused Microlenders are Pricing for Growth

Loan pricing plays a significant role in determining the scale of microenterprise programs. How should microfinance institutions think about this issue as they work to expand credit to aspiring entrepreneurs?

EntrepreneurTracker Client Outcomes Highlights – 2015
Publications

EntrepreneurTracker Client Outcomes Highlights – 2015

This brief summarizes business-related outcomes reported by microenterprise clients in 2015.

The Promise of Shared Platforms for the Microenterprise Industry: Lessons for Platform Creators
Publications

The Promise of Shared Platforms for the Microenterprise Industry: Lessons for Platform Creators

Shared platforms are changing the way microenterprise development organizations work. What lessons does this hold for platform creators?

The Promise of Shared Platforms for the Microenterprise Industry: Lessons for Platform Users
Publications

The Promise of Shared Platforms for the Microenterprise Industry: Lessons for Platform Users

Shared platforms are changing the way microenterprise development organizations work. What lessons does this hold for platform users?

The Promise of Shared Platforms for the Microenterprise Industry: Lessons for Platform Funders
Publications

The Promise of Shared Platforms for the Microenterprise Industry: Lessons for Platform Funders

Shared platforms are changing the way microenterprise development organizations work. What lessons does this hold for funders?

The Promise of Shared Platforms for the Microenterprise Industry
Publications

The Promise of Shared Platforms for the Microenterprise Industry

Shared platforms are changing the way microenterprise development organizations work.

Bridging the Divide: How Business Ownership Can Help Close the Racial Wealth Gap
Publications

Bridging the Divide: How Business Ownership Can Help Close the Racial Wealth Gap

Our nation faces a growing racial wealth gap. How can entrepreneurship help build wealth for people of color?

Prison to Proprietor: Entrepreneurship as a Re-Entry Strategy
Publications

Prison to Proprietor: Entrepreneurship as a Re-Entry Strategy

This guide examines the role of business ownership and entrepreneurship in helping formerly-incarcerated individuals navigate re-entry.

Benchmarking the Performance of Business Development Services
Publications

Benchmarking the Performance of Business Development Services

This guide illustrates a step-by-step process that organizations providing business development services can use to generate benchmarking data related to these services on the microTracker site, and through consulting services with microTracker staff.

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).