Mirco-Enterprise Development

The Hispanic Committee of Virginia’s Micro-Enterprise Development Program is designed to provide one-on-one micro-enterprise development counseling (including financial counseling) to low-income immigrant Hispanic/Latino families living in Northern Virginia as a means to contribute to asset building (e.g., savings accounts) and wealth creation (e.g., small business ownership).  It is a local, community-based program staffed by native Spanish speaking MBAs who know how to serve immigrant Latino families who are linguistically and culturally isolated because they themselves are Latin American immigrants.  It is the only program in the DC metropolitan area that provides financial literacy and micro-enterprise development counseling and training (weekend workshops and seminars) in Spanish.

The Micro-Enterprise Development Program began as part of a collaborative effort with the Community Business Partnership and The Women's Business Center in October of 2001 and is supported today by grants from Citibank, Philip Morris USA, Chevy Chase Bank, Fairfax County and others.  Since its inception, over 650 students have graduated and 118 have opened new businesses to the community, creating 143 new jobs.  Course graduates often specialize in construction, cleaning, restaurants, child care, landscaping, bookkeeping and other service-based industries.  Total estimated annual sales of the 118 businesses reach $3,178,000; ten loans were obtained; and $1,043,600 in equity was invested.

One-on-One Business Counseling

Bilingual/bicultural micro-enterprise counselors are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Hispanic Committee of Virginia’s Falls Church headquarters.  Counselors assist clients with the development of business concepts and business plans; business start-ups ( i.e. type of legal entity they need to select, type of insurance); credit and financing; recordkeeping and management; introduction to cash flow; and legal tax, and governmental compliance.  Counseling sessions may occur as often and for as long as the client wishes.

Hispanic Entrepreneurial Program Course

The HEP course is designed for those just beginning to think about what it means to have a business in the United States.  This initial four-week course is taught on Saturday mornings with a curriculum designed by the Hispanic Committee of Virginia staff in collaboration with the Community Business Partnership and The Women's Business Center.

NxLevel Business Start–Ups Course

NxLevel Business Start-Ups Course is a 10-session course designed for people who want to start a business and need the skills to test the feasibility of their business concept. Participants develop a business plan which acts as the blueprint for their start-up venture.

Course sessions are delivered by the Hispanic Committee of Virginia’s business counselors and by CPAs,  attorneys, insurance representatives, business brokers and bank representatives on Saturday mornings.  

For more information, to schedule a one-on-one counseling session, or to register for seminars, contact:

Rebeca Blanco, Micro-Enterprise Coordinator at
MicroEnterprise@hcva.org or 703-671-5666 ext. 13