“We want to create a model for a truly equitable investment fund that succeeds where private equity and venture capital do not. We can invest in the long-term health and growth of small businesses and build community wealth as well.”
Since college, Donte Miller has been looking for ways to bridge capital gaps for entrepreneurs of color.
Donte is co-founder and executive director at Village Microfund, a social impact fund that he helped launch as a student at Morehouse College. After completing a summer internship at Goldman Sachs, he decided to put his finance knowledge to use helping local businesses in his community. He started by coaching entrepreneurs on the basics of financial management and holding workshops with local businesses. He noticed a common thread: minority-owned small businesses lacked access to capital. He set out to change that.
Village Microfund take an approach based on long-term engagement. It hosts a 15-week small business bootcamp focused on teaching business fundamentals. And, once the fund ensures businesses are viable, it helps works with them to access debt or equity instruments.
Donte has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Morehouse, where he was also a presidential ambassador. He was also president of the National Association of Black Accountants.
Organization
Micro Village Fund, Atlanta
Area of Focus
Small business investing
Fellowship Project
Launch the Workers’ Equity Fund to invest in small businesses. The fund is designed to sell its equity stake back to employees after a period of time, thereby, not only supporting founders as they grow their businesses, but helping create worker-owned cooperatives as well.