NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Today, Umpqua Bank — headquartered in Roseburg, Oregon; with locations across Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada — launched a program that expands access to capital, resources, and expertise for minority and women entrepreneurs.

Umpqua Bank’s Small Business Empowerment Program builds on existing private and public partnerships — including strategic initiatives with numerous business-focused nonprofits and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) — to advance economic equality and opportunity for entrepreneurs in historically underserved communities.

As part of the program, the Bank has formed multi-year partnerships with four organizations dedicated to removing barriers to key areas of business support, including access to technology, low-cost financing, and technical assistance and expertise: Oregon-based MESO (Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon); Washington-based Business Impact NW; and California-based Centro Community Partners and Kiva.