Published August 16, 2019.

In 2016, Mayor Lovely Warren and the Office of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives launched the Kiva Rochester program with one objective: to give more Rochesterians a shot at the American Dream.  

Through the City of Rochester’s partnership with Kiva, an international nonprofit microfinance organization, we are connecting Rochester’s low-income entrepreneurs with 0% interest, crowdfunded microloans to launch and grow their businesses. We know that many entrepreneurs are seen as too risky to lend to because they lack collateral, have poor credit histories, are low-income, or are new to business ownership. This creates barriers for people to pursue their dreams of entrepreneurship. Kiva’s tagline is, “Dreams are universal. Opportunity is not.” Its innovative peer-to-peer crowdfunding and social underwriting models are expanding access to capital for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs with great ideas but limited means.

We believe that the entrepreneurial landscape should be representative of the people who live here and that through Kiva Rochester, we are building a more equitable, inclusive, and diverse small business economy in Rochester.

“After three years, the success of Kiva Rochester can be felt throughout the city,” said Mayor Lovely Warren. “We’re approaching half a million dollars in investments into small businesses that drive the local economy, provide jobs, and create unique products and services. By lowering barriers to credit, we’ve lit a fire under the amazing creativity and work ethic of our community.”​

The 3 year anniversary of the launch of the Kiva Rochester program is today, August 16th! Since the launch, we have worked to be a presence in every corner of the city. Kiva Rochester has funded 82 loans totaling $423,525 in interest-free capital for entrepreneurs in Rochester. The average self-reported credit score of our borrowers is 575 and the median income is $35,000. Not only are we lending to entrepreneurs who do not meet the financial requirements of most lenders, Kiva Rochester is also supporting entrepreneurs that disproportionately face discrimination in accessing loans: 76% of the borrowers are people of color and 49% are women. These business owners have used their loan funds to move into a brick and mortar space, run marketing campaigns, purchase materials from wholesalers, hire employees, and do renovations on their shops.

For this feature, we talked with 4 business owners about their experiences with the Kiva Rochester program, what it’s like to be an entrepreneur in Rochester, and how people can learn more about their businesses. We encourage you to check out these businesses and see just how you might be able to incorporate their work into your day-to-day life.

Nicholas Grunert of Fuego Coffee

Recipient of a $10,000 loan in April 2017

What makes Fuego an impact-driven coffee shop?

We constantly bring up in meetings "what are we contributing to the city?" We source extremely ethically from farms all over the world, and our in house treats are all locally made. We compost every single grind that goes through our cafe and roastery (last year over 10,000 lbs), have gone through thousands of gallons of local milk, and support local bakers. 2 years ago we even opened a second cafe with students from Roberts Wesleyan College in Guatemala which was 100% driven by providing employable skills to teens with no job experience. We are training the next wave of coffee professionals right in one of the most sought after coffee communities. 

What drink should people try when they visit Fuego?

Tough one! I have to go with my first drink I got at Fuego which is a French Quarter! A New Orleans-style 12 hour steeped cold brew with chicory, stirred over ice with milk and agave.

Shappelle Thompson of Open Mic Roc

Recipient of a $6,000 loan in January 2019

What is Open Mic Rochester? Why did you start this business?

Open Mic Rochester is an online black magazine, launched in 2016 with Shappelle Thompson as Publisher and Tianna Mañón as Editor-in-Chief. Determined to give you true and unbiased reporting, focus on hard news because we noticed a lack of credible reporting of Rochester’s black community. Whether it’s sports or politics, we saw the story of black Rochesterians consistently muddled with stereotypes or pushed to the end of the newscast. We’re here to grow and better the Rochester community using information to properly empower and engage our residents. I started Open Mic because I wanted to say something about a situation that had happened, and I didn't have a place to say it. So the most immediate thing I could think to do was create it. 

What should people expect from reading Open Mic Rochester?

What everyone can expect is the quality in the writing. We take pride in our coverage, our editing, and our sources. The way we convey a story is different every time. We look to tell the full story as succinctly as we possibly can.

Cody Naughton of UUU Art Collective

Recipient of a $3,000 loan in May 2017

What is the UUU Art Collective?

UUU’s mission is to initiative encounters for cultural conversations. It is a benefit corporation whose mission is to be the artists platform for social change. Through our gallery in downtown Rochester, we work to elevate the status of the emerging artist while providing a unique cultural experience for the community at large.

What should people expect when they come to UUU?

Our space is dedicated to creative conversations between artists and audiences. Folks should expect a beautiful space filled with curious and collaborative individuals. All upcoming events can be found on our event calendar.

Curtis Kendrick of Cabo Frio Jazz

Recipient of a $3,000 loan in November 2017

What is the Cabo Frio Jazz band? What makes it special?

We are a core group of 5 musicians that play smooth, contemporary jazz that is accessible to the modern public today. We just celebrated our 40th anniversary at a packed show at Anthology and launched our first CD on Jul 30th thanks to our Kiva loan! We have been making music since 1979 and it has been such a wonderful experience to continue improving together and to be at the top of our game today. It feels like 40 years of pure excellence as we have evolved and made music together.  

What’s a song you recommend people listen to to get a feel for Cabo Frio?

Our cover of “The Nearness of You.” It’s an old jazz standard – I just put an updated twist on it. It went viral online and the overwhelming reception to it really spurred me to apply for the Kiva loan. I started getting requests to sing and perform live, so I decided to record and release our first vocal CD.

This feature is sponsored in part by Kiva Rochester.