What Caravanserai Project does

Caravanserai Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 and headquartered in Palm Springs, California. The organization trains and funds entrepreneurs from marginalized communities across the Inland Empire region of Southern California, with explicit emphasis on rural and underserved populations including farmworkers. Its program portfolio comprises a Business Training program, the SEED Lab Pre-Accelerator (delivered in partnership with UC Riverside Extension), the Caravan SBDC (a federally affiliated Small Business Development Center designated in 2024), Access to Capital services, and the BizUp Farmworkers Program launched in 2025. The organization also acts as an intermediary funder via a partnership with IEHP Foundation, graduating 25 Inland Empire nonprofits with $5,000 capacity-building grants.

The organization's business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. It reports having supported more than 4,000 entrepreneurs and facilitated over $4 million in startup funding to client businesses since inception. Operating scale is small, with 1–10 employees (8 named staff) and a leadership transition to Co-CEOs Franzene Minott and Bradley Chargualaf in October 2025. Funders include the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians ($45,000 grant, October 2024), IEHP Foundation, James Irvine Foundation, the State of California, and the federal SBA network via the SBDC designation. There is no proprietary technology platform; programs are delivered through in-person training, partner channels, and standard event and CRM tooling.

Name

Caravanserai Project

Legal name

Caravanserai Project

Website

https://caravanseraiproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Caravanserai Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 in Palm Springs, California, that trains and funds entrepreneurs from marginalized communities across the Inland Empire region of Southern California, including farmworkers, through free business training, pre-accelerator, and SBDC programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK), Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Personal Finance (EDAMAHAE), Leadership, Service Learning & Volunteer-to-Career Pathways (EDAMAKAJ)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship training programs
• Small business development
• Nonprofit business support
• Pre-accelerator programs
• Bilingual business consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Palm Springs

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Alliance Memberships: The organization operates as a nonprofit and generates revenue primarily through donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants. Alliance Members contribute financially and receive program updates, event invitations, and opportunities to meet entrepreneurs.
2. Program Participation (Free): All programs are provided free of charge to participants. Revenue is not generated from participants but through external funding sources to sustain program delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Caravanserai Project provides free, bilingual (English/Spanish) entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and access to capital for underserved entrepreneurs across Southern California's Inland Empire. Its core offerings include an 8-week Business Training and Funding cohort, the 8-month SEED Lab Pre-Accelerator delivered with UC Riverside Extension, no-cost one-on-one consulting through the SBA-funded Caravan SBDC, micro-grants up to $10,000 and SSBCI-supported loan readiness, monthly expert-led webinars, and an Ambassador peer-mentor program.

Product overview

Caravanserai Project is a nonprofit support organization offering a portfolio of free programs organized across three entrepreneurial phases: Idea Phase, Start-up Phase, and Expansion Phase. The core offerings include Business Training and Funding (an 8-week cohort program with grant access of up to $10,000), the SEED Lab Pre-Accelerator (an 8-month UC Riverside Extension program for social entrepreneurs), Caravan SBDC (free one-on-one consulting and workshops in English and Spanish via the SBA-funded SBDC network), Access to Capital (grants and micro-loans including SSBCI-supported loan readiness), Webinar Workshops (monthly expert-led sessions), and the Ambassador Program (alumni peer-mentor network). Programs are free and accessible to all entrepreneurs, with a focus on marginalized and under-resourced communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SEED Lab: Caravanserai's signature 8-month pre-accelerator designed to empower social entrepreneurs, offered in collaboration with UC Riverside Extension. Provides 90+ hours of cohort-based learning, personalized mentorship, and access to capital opportunities.
• BizUp
• Business Readiness Training

Products and services

• Business Training and Funding Eight-week online program providing early-stage entrepreneurs with the foundational tools needed to launch a new business. Includes eight workshops, two small-group coaching sessions, and access to up to $10,000 in grant funding. Provided at no charge to 20–30 participants per cohort, in English and Spanish.
• SEED Lab Pre-Accelerator An 8-month pre-accelerator for social entrepreneurs, co-delivered with UC Riverside Extension, providing 90+ hours of cohort-based learning, personalized mentorship, and access to capital opportunities. Fellows earn a UC Riverside Extension certificate worth 9 professional credits. Full program cost is $8,500 with full and partial scholarships available.
• Caravan SBDC Free, confidential one-on-one business consulting and no-cost training workshops available in English and Spanish for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange Counties. Operated as the Caravan SBDC center within the Orange County Inland Empire SBDC Network, funded by the federal Small Business Administration.
• Access to Capital Program that connects entrepreneurs with grant funding of up to $10,000 and small business/micro loans, along with personalized loan preparation and lender connections through the SSBCI Technical Assistance Grant program. Over $2.5 million in funding provided to entrepreneurs to date.
• Webinar Workshops Monthly 90-minute webinars on topics of value to early-stage entrepreneurs, delivered by experienced business professionals. Sessions are held online with 50–100 participants per session and cover business launch, sustainable growth, HR challenges, ethical storytelling, and financial wellness.
• Ambassador Program Program that elevates alumni entrepreneurs into peer mentors, community connectors, and event representatives who inspire new participants and strengthen the local business ecosystem. Ambassadors gain recognition, exclusive professional opportunities, and a platform to showcase their achievements.
• Loan Readiness Support Step-by-step loan preparation and lender connection program funded through the SSBCI Technical Assistance Grant (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021). Provides personalized guidance on loan applications, connections to banks and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and financing options for those with limited credit history.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000+ entrepreneurs supported since 2016
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, moderate and minor.

• Orange County Inland Empire SBDC NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024In 2024, Caravanserai was selected to host the newest SBDC center in the region, Caravan SBDC. This partnership with the Orange County Inland Empire Small Business Development Center provides access to federal SBA resources and infrastructure for delivering small business development services.
• University of California Riverside ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for SEED Lab pre-accelerator program, providing 9 professional credits and a recognized certificate in social entrepreneurship. The partnership enables UC Riverside certification for program graduates.
• City of Palm SpringsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partnership for BizUp Palm Springs program and increased collaboration to serve local entrepreneurs.
• County of Riverside Office of Economic DevelopmentmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level partnership supporting economic development initiatives for entrepreneurs.
• County of Riverside Community Action PartnershipmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity action partnership supporting economic opportunity programs.
• Elite Cosmetology SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced December 2024 to support beauty and wellness entrepreneurs.
• Blue Zones Project Palm SpringsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Well-Being as a Business Strategy webinar, promoting worksite wellness for local businesses.
• Banks and CDFIs (Lenders)moderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFinancial institution partners including Chase Bank, First Bank, U.S. Bank, Union Bank, Wells Fargo, and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) providing loan products through the SSBCI program.
• Eisenhower HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner supporting community health initiatives.
• Governor's Office (California)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide research initiative to strengthen business technical assistance programs for entrepreneurs with neurodiversity.
• Community Settlement AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partner in the Alliance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Village Capital: Nonprofit venture support organization running entrepreneur support programs, peer-sourced pitch competitions, and venture funds targeting impact-driven founders. Comparable to Caravanserai's SEED Lab and pitch competition model, particularly for mission-driven entrepreneurs.

Direct peers

• Pacific Community Ventures: California-based nonprofit delivering business advising, accelerator programs, and capital access to under-resourced small business owners, with overlapping entrepreneur segments and a similar bilingual/community-led GTM motion in California.
• Grameen America: National nonprofit microfinance organization providing microloans, training, and peer-support networks to women entrepreneurs in poverty, with strong Hispanic/Latino focus. Comparable to Caravanserai's micro-capital deployment and community-cohort delivery model.
• Opportunity Fund (now DreamSpring): CDFI providing microloans, business training, and coaching to under-resourced small business owners, with a Hispanic/Latino and immigrant founder focus. Directly comparable on the Access to Capital and loan-readiness functions Caravanserai delivers via SSBCI.
• Accion Opportunity Fund: CDFI offering small business loans and free education to entrepreneurs traditionally excluded from mainstream finance. Overlaps with Caravanserai's micro-grant and SSBCI-backed loan-readiness programs in California.
• Latino Business Action Network (LBAN): Nonprofit focused on accelerating the growth of Latino-owned businesses through Stanford-affiliated programming, research, and capital access. Highly comparable given Caravanserai's bilingual service model and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneur focus in the Inland Empire.
• SCORE Association: National nonprofit providing free business mentoring, workshops, and resources to entrepreneurs, closely paralleling Caravanserai's free, community-based, cohort and webinar-driven model. Operates a similarly scaled volunteer/staff network and is partially SBA-funded, making it the closest structural peer.
• Inland Empire SBDC (hosted by Rancho Cucamonga): Long-standing SBDC host in the same Orange County Inland Empire SBDC Network that Caravanserai now operates within. Most directly comparable on consulting, training workshops, and SBA-aligned service delivery in the same region.

Regional players

• California Capital Financial Development Corporation: California-based CDFI and economic development nonprofit providing small business loans, training, and technical assistance to under-served entrepreneurs across Northern and Central California. Comparable as a regional CDFI delivering the same loan-readiness and training stack as Caravanserai.

Broad incumbents

• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: Nationwide tuition-free small business program providing cohort-based education, mentoring, and access to capital, conceptually similar to Caravanserai's SEED Lab pre-accelerator. Larger in scale and brand, but pursues a parallel mission of supporting under-resourced entrepreneurs with structured programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Caravanserai Project