The Business Credit Literacy Initiative offers increased availabilty of resources to support small businesses across the nation through financial education, resources, and mentoring.
As a Money Smart Alliance Member, BCLI uses the award-winning curriculum which includes topics to start and grow businesses. Money Smart for Small Business offers practical information that can be applied immediately while also preparing participants for more advanced training and programs.
The Money Smart curriculum includes thirteen training modules providing a practical introduction to aspects of starting and managing a business that can be attended in any order or independently. Topics range from basic information to more advanced concepts including:
Additionally, the introductory An Entrepreneur's Guide To Credit & Money provides an overview of all thirteen topics along with valuable information on how to fund a start-up or growing business--the number one concern of most entrepreneurs according to the SBA.
BCLI adds two important components to the Money Smart curriculum. First, a national team of certified educators who will teach the curriculum in collaboration with local entities and organizations like Chambers, incubators, SBDCs, faith-based institutions, etc. Second, all participants are eligible for free mentoring and the creation of a personalized Capital Acquisition Plan from a BCLI Advisor. All BCLI Advisors who mentor entrepreneurs have either a law degree (JD) or a MBA and a minimum of ten years' experience as either a CEO, CFO, or Legal Counsel. BCLI's involvement does not compete with the great work of SBDCs, SCORE, or other resources currently available but, instead, provides entrepreneurs with specialized expertise in accessing capital for their businesses.