A Lending Organization That Serves African Immigrants
We learned that while demographers predict that immigrants and people of color will make up a substantial portion of the Twin Cities population, economic disparities are still prevalent. This is why we believe that access to key resources, supportive institutional frameworks, and nourishing environments are necessary for creating financial success within marginalized communities.
Who We Are
Our lending organization was established in 2008. Since our inception, we have been helping African immigrants build and develop businesses.
How We Work
AEDS builds wealth within African immigrant communities through economic development activities. We work throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area to create wealth, lift immigrant communities out of poverty, and contribute to and benefit from the region’s vibrant economy.
We take pride in our ability to link clients to vital resources and foster meaningful partnerships with neighborhood and grassroots-based organizations. Our extensive cross-cultural intelligence and technical expertise allow us to unleash the power of entrepreneurship within the communities we serve.
Our goals are simple: we want our clients to build businesses that create jobs with livable wages. We want families to own homes and to break free of poverty, which is why our team guides disadvantaged communities to achieve financial security. We strive to connect and build vibrant communities with creativity and social connection.
What We Offer
Entrepreneur Promotion and Training
We conduct introductory workshops to promote entrepreneurship, which serves as a vehicle for creating income-earning opportunities and small businesses with African immigrants. Graduates are eligible to receive small business technical assistance services.
Loan Program
Accessing loan fund is important to African immigrants’ businesses for
operation. AEDS offers variety of loan types and our loan products are
designed to help African immigrant businesses access the fund. At
AEDS, we help our clients overcome obstacles that get in the way of
accessing business loans. Our goal is to enable passionate
entrepreneurs by providing access to the capital that helps launch or
expand their businesses. We eliminate the barriers that get in the way of
economic opportunities by pioneering nontraditional financial instruments
and following an innovative business development strategy.
Small business loans:
AEDS offer up to $100,000.00 for existing businesses that is seek
funding to expand its businesses.
Microloans:
AEDS offer up to $25,000 for startup businesses.
Credit Building Loan
AEDS offer $300 interest free credit building loans.
Sharia Compliant Loans:
AEDS offers for existing and startup businesses a sharia compliant loan.
Buy and sell agreements for assets such as vehicles, equipment, and
other
Financial and Homeownership Education
We promote homeownership as a wealth creation vehicle for African immigrants via financial education. Our company offers Home Stretch homebuying workshops and pre-purchase counseling that are certified by the Minnesota Homeownership Center.
Community Development Solutions
Our organization builds sustainable wealth within African immigrant communities through creative placemaking via the Little Africa Business and Cultural district, a branding and marketing campaign focused on leveraging diverse businesses, as well as arts and cultural assets along transit corridors.
We also conduct ongoing community engagement to ensure African immigrants have a voice in community development. Our team also serves as a cultural broker in advocating for smart policies that promote the growth of African immigrant businesses.
Our Mission
Our mission is to build African American communities.
At AEDS, we strive to develop businesses within African immigrant communities. We serve the Twin Cities metropolitan area to create wealth, help immigrants get out of poverty, as well as be part of and benefit from the booming economy.
We believe that access to key resources, institutional frameworks, and nourishing environments are elements for achieving financial success within marginalized communities.
AEDS confronts economic disparities by providing entrepreneurship promotion, small business development, microlending, homeownership education, and community development initiatives to facilitate healthy, vibrant communities. We aim to empower entrepreneurs and small business owners and to foster financial independence among families and individuals across our region.
Our History
Established in 2008, AEDS emerged out of the efforts of a small group of immigrants who were concerned about the paucity of business ownership among the vast African immigrant communities in the Minnesota. The group realized that African immigrants had to grapple with rampant economic disparities and other unique barriers that hindered the community’s ability to seize the numerous opportunities available in Minnesota.
Overtime, the group quickly learned from local business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs that some of the most limiting factors were related to language and cultural differences. The group also concluded that wealth-building held the key to empowering African immigrants in the region. This is why they decided to create a business development organization built around cultural intelligence and with an asset-based model.
AEDS was founded for public benefit and operates to accomplish our well-defined mission: wealth creation within marginalized communities and communities of black heritage in Minnesota. We accomplish this by providing customized financial literacy training, microentrepreneurship training and coaching, and homeownership education.
We assist recent African immigrants and other marginalized Americans to develop themselves and transform their communities. Through entrepreneurship, homeownership, and wealth creation, we build sustainable economic success in the prospering and diverse communities we serve.
Our organization has been contributing its fair share not only in raising awareness and visibility for African immigrant-owned businesses but also by providing the technical assistance and cultural intelligence marginalized communities need to succeed in a highly competitive environment.
AEDS is an impactful business development organization with big dreams for the future. We are bullish on the prospects of our communities and confident in our ability to open up economic opportunities for them.
Community Partners and Funders
We would like to thank our community partners and funders for their past and continued support. These partnerships and contributions have been vital resources to AEDS as we seek to fight poverty and build wealth within marginalized communities.