Press Room
ACCION Recognized as Model for Organizational Sustainability in Aspen Institute’s FIELD Case Study
Albuquerque, N.M. (Oct. 22, 2009) – In a recently published case study, the Aspen Institute’s FIELD program recognizes ACCION New Mexico ∙ Arizona ∙ Colorado (ACCION) as a model for organizational sustainability for microenterprise programs. FIELD identifies, develops, and disseminates best practices, and educates funders, policy makers and others about microenterprise as an anti-poverty strategy.
“ACCION has thoughtfully and systematically built a corporate culture and capacity that supports security, quality and growth,” said Elaine L. Edgcomb, Aspen Institute FIELD director and case study author.
FIELD’s case study, titled “The Organizational Foundations of Sustainability,” describes in detail how ACCION addressed its issues of balancing its growth with maintaining its quality of service. As a result of ACCION’s deliberate approach to this challenge, the case study reveals ACCION has achieved sustainability and growth through several operational improvements, including a restructured loan underwriting and management program, a renewed focus on organizational values and goals for staff, an innovative financial structure and healthy balance sheet, and a lean structure for expansion into Arizona and Colorado, among others.
“ACCION is dedicated to sharing lessons learned and advancing the impact of microfinance to benefit small businesses across the United States,” said Anne Haines Yatskowitz, ACCION's president and CEO. “We hope that the case study will be a helpful tool for others as they pursue organizational sustainability.”
To read the case study, download a PDF file at: fieldus.org/Publications/FieldForum23.pdf
ACCION is dedicated to helping small business owners create assets, build wealth, and achieve financial health. The organization offers small business loans between $200 and $150,000 along with training, networking and other support services to those who want to start a business or business owners looking to expand.
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ACCION marks its 15-year anniversary this year.
Founded in 1994, ACCION has financed the start-up and/or growth of 2,625 businesses
through 4,272 loans totaling more than $27.5 million.
The organization serves entrepreneurs in 198 urban and rural New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado communities through partnerships with local banks and organizations.
ACCION is one of only 4% of U.S. nonprofit organizations to have been awarded
Charity Navigator’s top four-star rating five years in a row.
Please visit us at www.accionnm.org or call 1-800-508-7624.
Thank you for visiting the ACCION New Mexico · Arizona · Colorado website.
Please contact Heather Wood at hwood@accionnm.org regarding any errors or requested revisions.