Crowdfunding

Wednesday,  September 29, 2021 at 5:30pm (EDT)

Katie Johnson, Emily Keebler, and Jessica Alpern Brown come together to talk about crowdfunding and introduce how Kiva can help creative entrepreneurs. 

Kiva, an international nonprofit organization, offers interest-free small business loans of up to $15,000 for U.S. businesses. Employing alternative eligibility requirements and a community of nearly 2 million lenders, Kiva uses crowdfunding to make affordable loans accessible to a wide range of entrepreneurs.

Katie Johnson has an extensive background in ceramics, business, and non-profits. Previous to her current role as the Associate Director of the Creative Business Accelerator, she was the Director of Braddock Tiles, a social enterprise that produced small batch architectural tiles with youth to teach job readiness. She now provides artists and designers with technical assistance, funding options, and opportunities to grow their business.  

Emily Keebler is the Kiva Pittsburgh Program Director at Riverside Center for Innovation, the Kiva Hub for Southwestern Pennsylvania. Emily has helped over 300 business owners to successfully crowdfund a collective $2 million in Kiva loans. 

Jessica Alpern Brown, a successful Kiva recipient, is a multidisciplinary artist that creates fine art and design for homes, public realms, and the built environment. At the core of her practice is a desire to contribute art that will integrate naturally into daily life and a belief that fine art can inspire functional design.