Rural Maya Entrepreneurs
With generous support from the Jobs for the Future - Rural Immigrant Success Exchange program, the Rural Maya Entrepreneur program at Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim is providing Maya Q'anjob'al and other Indigenous Maya immigrants with the language access, training, tools, and resources they need to start or grow their small businesses LLCs or cooperative models.
The Rural Maya Entrepreneur program provides:
Small Business Development Support
- In person and online small business and entrepreneurship training classes given in Maya Q'anjob'al, other Indigenous Maya languages, and/or Spanish in collaboration with community partner
- Small Business and Cooperative Formation and Development Support
- The program will directly support ten (10) entrepreneurs with the LLC registration process and fees to start their businesses
- Entrepreneurs are connected to services and specialty business and cooperative consulting and training as needed and requested
Maya Peer Mentors
- Aspiring Maya entrepreneurs will be connected to Maya Peer Mentors (in Nebraska and across the country) for guidance and support
- Maya Peer Mentors will receive a stipend for their participation in the program
Fondo Semilla - Seed Funding
- Launch or grow ten (10) small businesses through small grants from the Fondo Semilla
- An application process and support will be provided. Grants can be used for any needs related to business startup or expansion
- Local meetings will be held as well as virtual meetings to connect Maya entrepreneurs across Nebraska
Facilitate access to banking and capital
- CMPI will strengthen the ecosystem for Indigenous Maya Entrepreneurs by developing a working relationship with a Nebraska-based credit and savings union and a CDFI
- Interpretation/translation services will be provided as needed to access services
Our Partners:
