Kiva St. Louis

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Zero Interest Loans For The People By The People

In partnership with Kiva, WEPOWER helps make capital more accessible to small business owners, particularly those who have been excluded by the mainstream financial system.

Entrepreneurs of color face direct discrimination and structural racism, resulting in less access to capital, compounding existing inequities and making it harder for communities of color to build generational wealth. Research has shown that Black entrepreneurs are rejected for loans at higher rates, on average approved for lower loan amounts, and charged higher average interest rates. It’s time to address these barriers.

Borrow Funds to Fuel Your Dreams

“Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real.” – Tupac

Zero interest. Zero fees. Grace period. Access a loan between $1,000-$15,000. Kiva acts as a first-rung on an otherwise inaccessible financial ladder, creating an important new path to the financial mainstream.

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Am I Eligible?

In order to receive a loan from Kiva, you must meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:

Capital Access Manager, Edgar Payano, smiling

The Process

Learn more about the process below and reach out to Edgar, our Capital Access Manager, to learn more or get started. You can email Edgar at [email protected] or sign up for a time to talk 1:1 with him using the link below.

Updates

Charli Cooksey | We Can Do This

Friday, August 18th at Missouri’s Botanical Garden, WEPOWER hosted their second ever Garden Party. Charli shared some reflections and also presented investment checks to two entrepreneurs leading businesses that WEPOWER Capital has recently invested in. August 18, 2023 Charli Cooksey | We Can Do This   Friday, August 18th at Missouri’s Botanical Garden, WEPOWER hosted…

Nyara Williams | WEOUTSIDE

Friday, August 18th at Missouri’s Botanical Garden, WEPOWER hosted their second ever Garden Party. Filmmaker Nyara Williams premiered a documentary on behalf of WEPOWER and shared some reflections ahead of its previewing. This touched all of our hearts and we wanted to also share with you. August 18, 2023 Nyara Williams | WEOUTSIDE Blooming  …

Paula Vickers | Grandma’s Plan

Friday, August 18th at Missouri’s Botanical Garden, WEPOWER hosted their second ever Garden Party. Paula Vickers shared her journey with WEPOWER and what’s to come. Paula is a graduate of the 2023 cohort of WEPOWER’s Chisholm’s Chair Fellowship and serves as WEPOWER’s fulltime Early Childhood Community Organizer. August 18, 2023 Paula Vickers | Grandma’s Plan…

LaParis Hawkins | The Renaissance

Friday, August 18th at Missouri’s Botanical Garden, WEPOWER hosted their second ever Garden Party. LaParis Hawkins shared her journey with WEPOWER and what’s to come.  LaParis is a graduate of the 2023 cohort of WEPOWER’s Chisholm’s Chair Fellowship and the founder and owner of Tailored Pieces. August 18, 2023 LaParis Hawkins | The Renaissance LaParis…

WEPOWER launches special collab!

WEPOWER launches special collab! August 9, 2023 Nine years ago today, 18-year young Michael Brown Jr. was murdered. The Ferguson Uprising ignited, and uprisings all across the globe ignited in solidarity. Our region and world will forever be changed. Yet, our work as a region isn’t done; it can’t be. #mikebrownforever means WE have a…

WEPOWER Announces Nearly $200,000 Investment in Local Businesses, RooterMan Franchisee and Cheryl’s Herbs

August 3, 2023 WEPOWER Announces Nearly $200,000 Investment in Local Businesses, RooterMan Franchisee and Cheryl’s Herbs RooterMan and Cheryl’s Herbs mark WEPOWER Capital’s second and third investments, with the goal to accelerate community owned wealth and create economic growth in historically divested communities. As WEPOWER Weekend approaches, WEPOWER Capital announces another reason to celebrate: their…

Last Night We Won + Today We Build – Join Us April 13th and May 13th!

April 10, 2023 Last Night We Won + Today We Build – Join us April 13th and May 13th! Over the past couple of months, we’ve knocked on 5,000+ doors, texted 85,000 voters, and had hundreds of community convos. Last night, the WEPOWER team went to bed tired, but the good kind of tired –…

Community Benefits Agreements emerge as top issue in Spring 2023 election cycle

February 20, 2023 Community Benefits Agreements emerge as top issue in Spring 2023 election cycle   A new group of more than 100 residents, developers, business owners, philanthropists, and local organizations have announced the Community Wealth Action Group to advocate for community-owned wealth, quality jobs, and livable wages for Black and Latinx residents of St.…

BJC Makes Anchor Investment in WEPOWER Capital

January 24, 2023 BJC Makes Anchor Investment in WEPOWER Capital   BJC’s anchor investment will go toward focused, revenue-based funding (RBF) investments in Black- and Latinx-owned businesses with strong growth trajectories. WEPOWER Capital works to ignite equitable economic growth and prosperity in St. Louis by building wealth in under-resourced communities.   Today WEPOWER Capital announced…

What it Takes to Thrive: The Importance of Investing in Everyone

November 29, 2022 What it Takes to Thrive: The Importance of Investing in Everyone By: Amina Abdul-Malik   “The conditions I saw growing up in North City just didn’t seem to reflect the beauty and intelligence I saw in the people around me.”  -Amina Abdul-Malik   I call it ‘Entrepreneur Brain.” It’s where your brain…