Mini Entrepreneurs of RI provides entrepreneurship education for kids
The Providence Journal and United Way of Rhode Island have partnered to highlight the state’s nonprofits. Each week, a nonprofit identified by United Way will be spotlighted in the Providence Sunday Journal, and the United Way will share how they support that organization.
This week, we feature Mini Entrepreneurs of RI, which through diverse programs “empower children across Rhode Island by fostering creativity, resilience and a strong entrepreneurial spirit from a young age.”
We asked founder and executive director Erica Campbell to tell us more about the organization.
What is your mission and vision?
Mini Entrepreneurs of RI empowers the next generation of leaders by providing children ages 4 to 15, particularly those from under-resourced communities, with a solid foundation in entrepreneurship education. Our mission is to create opportunities that foster personal and academic development, nurturing lifelong learners. Through engaging learning experiences, we inspire children to explore their creativity, develop critical thinking skills and cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset.
We envision a future where every child, regardless of background, has the knowledge, skills and confidence to embrace their entrepreneurial potential. We believe our work will create a stronger, healthier and more resilient community for all Rhode Islanders. As part of our service continuum, we offer an annual entrepreneurial fair, summer camps and after-school programs that expose youth to entrepreneurship and provide them with the tools and resources they need to succeed. By equipping children with these skills, we aim to foster innovation and leadership in our community.
How do you measure success?
Our organization measures success through a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitatively, we track metrics such as the number of businesses and entrepreneurs participating in our annual Entrepreneur Fair, communitycustomer attendance, income generated by participants and the number of Mini Kids Business Pop-Up events. We also monitor the engagement of entrepreneurial coaches and the mentorship hours provided, alongside youth participation in our summer camps and after-school programs. Qualitatively, we gather insights from participant satisfaction surveys and pre- and post-tests in our programs. We also survey parents to evaluate their experiences and the positive changes they observe in their children. This comprehensive approach allows us to assess both immediate impacts and long-term outcomes, ensuring we continuously improve our programs and support the entrepreneurial growth of our participants.
What are your biggest challenges currently?
Our biggest challenge and greatest opportunity lies in having too many participants and partnerships, but insufficient organizational capacity. Our founder/executive director, Erica Campbell, a former educator, left her full-time position at the Met School to fully dedicate herself to MERI and support its growth in the community. As a younger organization, we are enhancing and diversifying our funding sources to build capacity, serve more youths, and partner with additional organizations.
Erica has been volunteering without pay since MERI’s founding over three years ago. Recently, the board approved a pay for her work, but securing additional funds to compensate her fully and hire more staff is crucial for long-term success. Over the years, we’ve increased kid-run businesses from 10 to 64, youth participants from 12 to 198, and community engagement from 75 to 750. This growth highlights the importance of our mission and the need for ongoing funding.
How can volunteers or donors get involved?
Volunteers and donors can get involved by filling out a brief form on our website merikids.org. Once submitted, we’ll reach out to discuss opportunities. We’re always looking for passionate volunteers to support our annual Mini Kids Entrepreneur Fair, where we had 30 dedicated helpers last year. We also seek generous donors to help fund our programs. Thanks to the support we’ve received, we’ve been able to offer our summer camp free of charge for the last two years, and we hope to continue this initiative. Your involvement can make a significant impact on our community!
What are some recent accomplishments or projects you’re proud of?
We’re incredibly proud of our recent accomplishments at the Mini Kids Entrepreneur Fair. This year, we showcased a total of 64 businesses, with 80 mini-entrepreneurs participating. The event attracted more than 600 community members, all coming together to support young innovators. We were fortunate to have 10 community collaborators, who hosted information tables to share valuable resources. Our dedicated team of 30 volunteers helped make the day a success, contributing to a total attendance of 850 people. Additionally, we awarded $2,100 in business scholarships to support the mini entrepreneurs’ business development and allocated $2,000 to the community to further assist these emerging businesses. This event truly highlighted the power of collaboration and community support
To contact Mini Entrepreneurs of RI email [email protected] or call (401) 484-1441.
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