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WREN PROGRAMS and INITIATIVES
WREN began by helping low income women start businesses, but it wasn't long before this work led us into new territory. Today our mission embraces business development, creating and supporting markets for local artists, artisans, and rural entrepreneurs, arts and empowerment workshops for girls, education and advocacy around buying ''local'', Main Street revitalization, pursuing sustainable models for rural economic development and acting an access point for community and business networking.
Our overall strategy in supporting ''better lives and livelihoods'' weaves together economic empowerment, efforts to preserve and enhance the best of our rural quality of life, and initiatives that benefit the greatest number of people.
ENTREPRENURIAL DEVELOPMENT and SUPPORT
Over the past twelve years WREN has assisted nearly 1,500 people in achieving greater economic security through entrepreneurship. This support includes a variety of entrepreneurial classes and events, in-depth business development programs, and other opportunities listed below.
WREN BETA (Business and Entrepreneurial Technical Assistance) PROGRAM
WREN's entrepreneurial assistance program integrates the nationally known, award-winning Core Four training curriculum with WREN's own brand of business coaching and networking. The course covers successful strategies for business including marketing, financial management and operations planning. Classes are scheduled on a year round basis at WREN in Bethlehem and in various surrounding communities. We are also available to help our entrepreneurs as the need arises.
CREATING NEW MARKETS FOR RURAL BUSINESS OWNERS
"I have a great product or service, but where are the markets?" This is often the greatest challenge for rural business owners. Since 2000, WREN has made Access to Markets a key part of our mission. As we often do, we have used a ''community'' approach in addressing this challenge and have focused on developing opportunities that can benefit many simultaneously. These include:CREATING NEW MARKETS FOR RURAL BUSINESS OWNERS
"I have a great product or service, but where are the markets?" This is often the greatest challenge for rural business owners. Since 2000, WREN has made Access to Markets a key part of our mission. As we often do, we have used a ''community'' approach in addressing this challenge and have focused on developing opportunities that can benefit many simultaneously. These include:
- Local Works Marketplace, our retail store, (formerly known as WrenOvation!) provides a showcase and marketplace for nearly 200 product-based enterprises and their owners. Opened in mid-2000, it has generated over half a million dollars in sales and serves as a retail anchor for Bethlehem''s Main Street. Click here for information about selling your product in our store. The store is open 7 days a week from 10 am to 5 pm.
- The Gallery at WREN supports regional artists in presenting and selling their work in a professional gallery setting. Over 80 artists have had solo or group shows through the Gallery. For more information about the Gallery, click here.
- WREN''s On-Line Member Business Directory not only promotes our members' enterprises, it also lets you search for the services and products you desire.
- Buy Local - Though not a direct market opportunity, one that does have a positive impact on the ''mom and pop'' businesses in our community. WREN advocates on behalf of supporting the local economy and educates the public about the impact of keeping local dollars circulating within our region.
- Collaboration and partnerships with other organizations that are also engaged in market access. We have much to share and learn.
WREN RESOURCES
One of the best aspects of ''community'' is sharing. WREN has pursued funding for a variety of resources that many of our members could not individually afford or organize on their own. These include:
WREN''s Technology Center and Other Technology Resources
For entrepreneurs and those living in a rural setting, so much depends upon access to and an understanding of technology. In 2000, we opened our Technology Center as a place where members and the wider community could access hardware, software, and affordable training that they couldn't find elsewhere in northern New Hampshire. That same year, WREN received an AOL Rural Telecommunication Leadership Award for these services. Every year hundreds of women, men and children use our Center to access the Internet, work on projects, and other technology tasks. The Center offers beginner and advanced classes. Check out our classes offerings.
In 2005, WREN was selected as one of nine grantees for the Hewlett Packard (HP) Microenterprise Acceleration Program. This award provided over $150,000 in technology planning, equipment, and software, allowing us to completely update our Technology Center. We also launched our Multi-Media Resource Studio that offers advanced print and website development tools, including a digital photo shoot space. Periodically, we offer free training on how to use the equipment. Call or email us for details on the next offered session.
WREN's Lending Library
Members are welcome to borrow materials from our library that includes books, magazines, and videos on a variety of empowerment and entrepreneurial topics.
On-Line Resources
Looking for information on business start-up, hard to find supplies, retail trends, and a whole range of other topics? Check out our on-line resources.
Equity Awards for Low and Moderate Income Women Entrepreneurs
Sometimes money makes all the difference, as we discovered in 2005 when two generous funders gave WREN $13,500 to award to nine low or moderate income women business owners. We were able to make a $4,500 equity award to a Bethlehem woman entrepreneur through The Fairy Godmother Fund, an initiative of the Ms. Foundation for Women. We were also able to provide 8 women with awards using $9000 from the Women and CompanyŽ Microenterprise Boost Program, an equity award program supported by the Citigroup Foundation and Women and CompanyŽ. We also received funds to provide technical assistance to the selected business owners. In 2006 and again in 2007, WREN had the opportunity to participate as a local partner in this program; to date we have been able to assist 30 WREN members with cash equity awards for their businesses.You can read about one of our equity award winners here.
WREN-affiliated Affinity groups
When WREN members collaborate, we''re more likely to succeed. Affinity Groups bring similar or complimentary businesses together for mutual benefit. Over the years WREN has supported the development of a number of Affinity groups. Currently the following groups are active:
- StarsNorth Financial Network - a growing group of entrepreneurs offering professional services related to financial management and consulting
- Partners in Growth - a diverse group of instructors offering workshops, classes, and training at WREN as well as in other educational institutions and settings
- Women for Health - those offering alternative and/or complimentary health care/wellness service
Want to learn more about our current groups or start a new group? Contact WREN either by phone (603) 869-9736 or e-mail at wren@wrencommunity.org.
Our WRENa$ense Peer Lending Group
Need capital for your growing business? What if you don''t have a credit history or need to borrow less than banks like to loan? In 1997 a group of WREN members formed a peer lending group that supports its members in accessing loans ranging from $500 to $5000. Wrena$ense is part of an on-going collaboration with MicroCredit/New Hampshire. Call Joyce Presby 603-620-0754 for more details.
Women''s Investment Groups
Many North Country women don''t have retirement plans or savings. We host two investment groups (Nest Egg and Gold Diggers) that bring women together once a month to collectively educate themselves about investment opportunities and to develop a group stock portfolio.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
Community is the heart of WREN, kept beating by an ever-growing number of rural people. To support and nurture the WREN Community, we have created a number of vehicles that bring people into WREN, that encourage them to connect with one another, and create shared resources.
WREN chose to become a membership organization in our second year, reinforcing the notion of community. Through membership people invest in our work, feel a sense of ownership in the organization, and shape WREN''s development. Members live near and far and in as many as 13 states. If you are not yet a member, we encourage you to join. Members receive The WRENzine (published three times a year), a weekly email newsletter, discounts on classes and store/gallery purchases, and more - all while supporting our work.
Networking Events
The WREN Community knows like to work AND play. From time to time we host WREN events that are free and open to the public. Check out our events page to find out more.
The Wings of the WREN Program
''Wings of the Wren'' Wings of the Wren was created in 1997 as a way to share the richness of the WREN Community with our daughters, nieces, and other girls living in the region. Girls ages 10 to 18 are invited to take part in free workshops and adventures, get to know themselves, each other, and the women who volunteer to oversee the program. While Wings has emphasized the arts as a pathway for self-knowledge and creativity among girls and young women, we welcome those who would like to broaden Wings offerings to include outdoor activities, technology, and other facets of life that will help the girls ''fly''. Call us if you''d like to teach a class or volunteer for a Wings outing. All Wings events are listed in the WRENzine and on this website under ''events''. To add a name to our Wings mailing list, call WREN Central at (603) 869-9736.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
As part of WREN's commitment to community building, we also work to make our own hometown a better and more prosperous place.
Main Street Bethlehem Revitalization
Bethlehem, New Hampshire was known as a ''premier tourist destination'' from the 1890s through the 1950s. But this ended as the travel patterns and expectations of Americans changed. Over the years, the town's grand hotels and businesses disappeared. When WREN relocated to Bethlehem in 1999, many of the store fronts were empty and little Main Street economic activity was evident. As we began to operate our retail store, we also put energy into bringing new life to our downtown.
Thanks to a USDA Rural Development grant, we launched the ''The Stars Come Out in Bethlehem'' project. Convening residents, civic leaders and business owners, the group identified a number of short and long term revitalization goals. We began our Street Banner Project, a volunteer driven effort to create original, hand-painted banners for the Main Street. Today WREN supports the development of both summer and winter designs. In 2004, we also created a marketing CD-ROM for the Town. Seven Bethlehem year-round and summer residents, ranging from a 7th generation Abenaki basket maker to a Hassidic rabbi, talk about why Bethlehem matters to them. We also created a Bethlehem Main Street print map that highlights stores, inns, eateries, events, and other places of interest. (link to CD)
The Colonial Theatre
As the nation''s oldest, continuously-operating movie house, this grand dame of Bethlehem buildings found new life through a partnering of WREN and the Bethlehem Redevelopment Association to transform the former summer movie theater into a regional cultural center.
The theatre, operating from May through October, offers independent and foreign films, as well as live performances. The Colonial is our partner in offering a free arts film series in conjunction with the WREN Gallery. To learn more about the Colonial and its film and performance schedule, click here Colonial Theater.
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