New Mexico Women's Foundation

Women’s Cottage Industries:

What is a “cottage industry”? In general terms, a cottage industry is a business activity that takes place on a small scale with limited resources. We understand the impact such businesses have on providing income and enriching the lives of underserved women.

Since its inception, our successful Micro Granting Program has given hundreds of women, through grantee cooperatives, funds to develop or maintain their own businesses. Groups must consist of three or more women and be organized as a nonprofit organization. At least 85% of the organization’s members/participants, and people served, must be women and/or girls. These organizations prove time and time again that they make a difference by responding to the needs of women in helping them become entrepreneurs, teaching and developing leadership skills and abilities, and by creating opportunities that allow women to earn incomes by producing saleable products or services in their own communities.

 

Women Entrepreneurs (WE) Learn™:

Through our (WE) Learn™ Program New Mexico Women’s Foundation mentors cooperatives of women throughout New Mexico in order to provide them with the knowledge and resources it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. Mentoring services are available on any topic the women or cooperative may have a need or desire to learn; from organizing space for work and product displays to teaching fundraising techniques and initiating strategic planning. We travel to bring these resources to women in their own communities, and our Resource Center in Santa Fe is where women can come to learn from each other or from knowledgeable and experienced NMWF volunteers.