"Promoting the entrepreneurial spirit and creating economic wealth and diversity."

About Us

The Northeast Entrepreneur Fund helps people start and grow successful, locally owned small businesses. Its mission is to promote the entrepreneurial spirit and create economic wealth and diversity. NEF provides training, consulting and financing to emerging and small businesses in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.

Since 1989, the Northeast Entrepreneur Fund has helped start, stabilize or expand 1,000 businesses, helped create or retain more than 2,500 jobs, provided $9 million in loans to nearly 350 businesses, and served 10,000 people through its training, consulting and lending programs. More than 85% of business owners who receive assistance from the Entrepreneur Fund are still in business two years later.

The Greenstone Group, a new 10-year initiative of the Northeast Entrepreneur Fund, seeks to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and strengthen entrepreneurs through group-based learning, peer support and access to a variety of business services.