Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship

What Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship does

The Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) is a Washington State 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 (incubated at Pinchot University and spun out as an independent entity in 2016) that delivers free business training, one-on-one advising, mentorship, and financing connections to aspiring entrepreneurs with limited resources in marginalized rural communities. Headquartered in Tukwila, Washington, CIE operates across four regional clusters — North Peninsula (Clallam and Jefferson Counties), North Cascades (Skagit and Island Counties), Columbia Basin (Adams, Benton, Franklin, Grant, and Walla Walla Counties), and Palouse (Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, and Whitman Counties) — staffed by business advisors who live in the communities they serve. Its core product suite includes the Start Simple Course (four two-hour group sessions covering business fundamentals), the Start Lean Course (six sessions on business model canvas and lean startup methodology), and Comadres (a Spanish-language program for emerging women entrepreneurs), supplemented by Startup and Resiliency one-on-one advising, a private Business Café online community, and a volunteer mentorship network.

CIE's revenue model is entirely grant- and donation-funded under its 501(c)(3) status; all programs are delivered at no cost to participants, with the organization citing at least $10 of social return on investment per dollar invested annually. The platform connects clients to multiple capital channels — KIVA 0% interest loans up to $15,000 (CIE acts as a Kiva Trustee), REAP/REDA renewable energy grants (up to 50% project coverage) delivered through Pierce Conservation District and Sustainable Connections, the Skagit Food Resiliency Loan (up to $5,000, unsecured, via North Coast Credit Union), and various Blended Capital and circular-economy grants. CIE is an accredited member of the Washington SBDC Network (a cooperative-agreement partner of the U.S. SBA) and maintains 50+ local partnerships across rural Washington spanning tribal nations, chambers of commerce, conservation districts, CDFIs, foundations, and corporate funders. To date, CIE reports 900 clients served, 860 participants trained, 90 new businesses launched, 234 new jobs created, 340 existing jobs saved, and $4,378,600 in business financing facilitated for clients.

Name

Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Legal name

Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Website

https://cie-nw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship is a Washington State 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free business training, one-on-one advising, mentorship, and capital connections to low-income aspiring entrepreneurs across marginalized rural communities in Washington State.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Education and Microenterprise Support Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leadership, Management & Teamwork for Business (EDAMAHAI), Marketing, Branding & Sales Skills (EDAMAHAG), Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Personal Finance (EDAMAHAE)

Keywords

• Nonprofit business training
• Rural entrepreneurship support
• Small business advising
• Microenterprise development
• Entrepreneur mentoring services

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: CIE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded entirely through grants, donations, and cooperative agreements with public and private funding partners including the U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington SBDC, state agencies, and private foundations. All programs are provided at no cost to participants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free business training, one-on-one advising, mentorship, networking, and financing connections to aspiring and existing microenterprise owners in rural Washington communities. Its offerings include the Start Simple Course (4 two-hour group sessions), Start Lean Course (6 sessions), Comadres (Spanish-language program for women entrepreneurs), individualized startup and resiliency advising, the Business Café online community, and facilitated access to KIVA 0% loans, REAP/REDA energy grants, and Skagit Food Resiliency Loans.

Product overview

Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) is a Washington State 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates the CommunityEnterprise Program, a comprehensive suite of business support services rather than a technology product. The core offerings include the Start Simple Course and Start Lean Course for business training, the Comadres Spanish-language program for women entrepreneurs, and one-on-one advising services (Startup Business Advising, Resiliency Business Advising, and Ready to Hire Advising). These are supported by the Business Café private online networking community and Mentorship Program. CIE also connects clients to capital through KIVA Loans, REAP/REDA renewable energy programs, and the Skagit Food Resiliency Loan. All programs are provided at no cost to participants. CIE does not offer a public API or AI/ML-powered features.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CommunityEnterprise Program Comprehensive CIE membership-style program offering accessible first-step business training, one-on-one advising, networking, and mentorship to help aspiring entrepreneurs start and build a small business. Open to eligible participants via an application, with all services provided at no cost.
• Start Simple Course A four two-hour group session course that helps participants assess the feasibility of their business goals and learn business fundamentals, with free one-on-one homework assistance and a final assessment. Available in English and Spanish.
• Start Lean Course A six-session advanced course introducing the business model canvas and lean startup strategies to help entrepreneurs bring a Minimum Viable Product to market, with one-on-one support from a Business Advisor.
• Comadres Program A Spanish-language entrepreneur training program for emerging women entrepreneurs, prioritizing those with limited resources from marginalized communities who often face challenges finding support for self-employment and business ownership.
• Startup Business Advising One-on-one counseling for graduates of the Start Simple Business Course, helping validate a customer-driven business model, launch new businesses, and build a foundation ready to maximize profits.
• Resiliency Business Advising One-on-one advising using a Resiliency Checklist to help existing businesses identify areas requiring attention and explore strategies to strengthen operations and support growth.
• Ready to Hire Advising Video-based primers providing an overview of rules and regulations for hiring employees, including wage and hour requirements and workplace safety, targeted at small business owners.
• Business Café A private online community exclusively for current and past CIE clients, enabling connection with fellow entrepreneurs, mentorship access, professional networking, and registration for training courses and events. Region-based subgroups enable localized networking.
• Mentorship Program Program that connects entrepreneurs with experienced volunteer mentors who provide guidance, share insights, and offer perspective based on real-world experience through the Business Café community.
• KIVA Loans Facilitation CIE-facilitated access to KIVA's crowd-lending program offering no-fee, 0% interest business loans up to $15,000 through millions of lenders, with no minimum credit score or collateral required; CIE acts as a KIVA Trustee to endorse client applications.
• REAP/REDA Programs Partnership programs with Pierce Conservation District and Sustainable Connections offering REAP/REDA grants covering up to 50% of project costs and loans covering an additional 25% for energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments for rural businesses and farmers.
• Skagit Food Resiliency Loan Partnership with North Coast Credit Union providing flexible, low-interest loans and business support services for small food businesses and restaurants in Skagit County, with CIE's loan guarantee waiving normal underwriting for unsecured working capital loans up to $5,000.

Quantifiable outcome

• 900 clients served; 90 new businesses launched; 234 new jobs created; 340 existing jobs saved; $4,378,600 in business financing secured; $10 social return per dollar invested

Named customers20 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting, minor and historical.

• Washington SBDC / America's SBDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIE is an accredited member of the Washington SBDC Network and America's SBDC. The Washington SBDC provides institutional backing, network access, and credibility as a partner organization serving small businesses across the state.
• Pierce Conservation DistrictsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIE partnered with Pierce Conservation District to deliver REAP (Rural Energy for America Program) and REDA (Rural Development for America) energy efficiency grants to rural and agricultural businesses.
• Sustainable ConnectionssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIE partnered with Sustainable Connections to offer REAP and REDA programs helping farmers and rural businesses with energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments.
• Broetje Family TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with CIE to host the Comadres program in Pasco (Franklin County) in-person Spanish-language training sessions.
• Yakama NationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CIE to deliver the Start Simple program to Native entrepreneurs in Toppenish in April, funded by WEDFA.
• Mount Vernon Chamber of CommercesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CIE on the Comadres program (in Spanish), connecting Latine entrepreneurs to business training and community networks.
• Spokane Independent Metro Business Alliance (SIMBA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CIE on Startup Palouse, bringing CIE programming to the Palouse region.
• Port of Port TownsendminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a CIE community partner, supporting economic development in the North Peninsula region.
• Viva FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting CIE's programs in the Skagit Valley region, providing resources for food and agricultural entrepreneurs.
• WorkSource WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState workforce development partner supporting CIE's programs by connecting job seekers and entrepreneurs to resources.
• Ta'ala Fund / Cedar Roots Business CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIE partnered with the Ta'ala Fund to establish the Cedar Roots Business Center for the Quinault Indian community, supporting Native entrepreneurs.
• Rural Development InitiativessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CIE on the Olympic Seafood Systems Alliance, Start Your Childcare Business program (in Spanish), and other rural entrepreneurship initiatives.
• North Olympic Development Center / Team JeffersonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CIE on the Green Equity Accelerator, supporting diverse entrepreneurs on the North Olympic Peninsula.
• Economic Alliance of Okanogan CountysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CIE on the Train the Trainer program for economic development professionals.
• United Way of Clallam County (Women United)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CIE on the Groundswell accelerator for women entrepreneurs, providing funding and support for women business owners.
• Pinchot University / Presidio Graduate SchoolhistoricalStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIE was launched in 2013 as a program of Pinchot University, a graduate business school in Seattle. CIE completed its incubation at Pinchot University in 2016 and transitioned to an independent 501(c)(3).

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SCORE: National nonprofit providing free business mentoring, training, and resources to entrepreneurs, funded in part through SBA partnership. Directly comparable mission and free-service delivery model to CIE, with SCORE's volunteer mentor network paralleling CIE's mentorship and advising services.
• Kiva: Global nonprofit crowdfunding platform for 0% interest loans, with CIE serving as a Kiva Trustee. Kiva's microlending mission, focus on underserved borrowers, and crowd-lending model align closely with CIE's capital-conduit role for rural entrepreneurs.
• Start Small Think Big: Nonprofit providing free business support, mentoring, and resources to low-income and minority entrepreneurs in the U.S. Directly comparable model to CIE: free services, target segment of resource-constrained entrepreneurs, and combination of training, advising, and capital connections.
• Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Washington's statewide SBDC network of which CIE is an accredited member. Provides overlapping free business advising, training, and capital connections to small businesses across Washington, including the same rural regions CIE serves, making it the most direct comparator for both clients and funders.
• Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC): Community development nonprofit serving rural communities across the Western U.S. with business support, lending, and capacity building for underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable rural focus, similar nonprofit funding model, and overlapping partner network in Washington and the broader Pacific Northwest.
• Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA): Statewide association of microenterprise development organizations in Washington, of which CIE is a member and recent grant recipient. WSMA represents the broader ecosystem of small nonprofits delivering training, technical assistance, and lending to microbusinesses across Washington, providing the closest peer set for CIE.

Regional players

• Washington Women's Business Center: Washington-based SBA-affiliated Women's Business Center offering free business training and advising to women entrepreneurs. Mission overlap with CIE's Comadres program and broader women-focused support, though with a statewide rather than rural-exclusive geographic focus.

Broad incumbents

• America's SBDC: The national SBDC network that accredits the Washington SBDC and through which CIE receives federal SBA cooperative agreement funding. Operates the broader system of small business support that CIE's model sits within, providing the institutional framework and funding CIE relies on.
• Grameen America: National nonprofit microfinance organization providing small business loans, training, and support to low-income entrepreneurs, primarily women, in underserved U.S. communities. Comparable mission of economic inclusion through entrepreneurship support, though with a national footprint and direct microlending model.
• Opportunity Fund (now Accion Opportunity Fund): National CDFI providing small business loans, training, and coaching to underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable mission and overlapping services (capital, advising, training) to CIE, with a larger multi-state footprint and direct lending capability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUYa79NGkOyliHXKKwfN5SQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/centerforinclusiveentrepreneurship
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-inclusive-entrepreneurship
• Instagraminstagram.com/cie_nw

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship