Ways To Give

ACCION San Diego is an independent, 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that provides loans and technical assistance to micro-entrepreneurs who are unable to qualify for credit from traditional sources. With a small loan from ACCION San Diego a craftsman, a seamstress or a childcare provider can obtain the capital they need to expand their business and build a better life for themselves and their families. Please join us in making a difference in the lives of these micro-entrepreneurs.

Cultivation or tillage is the term used for the preparation of land before embedding the seed, the seed that will transform, mature and create.  There is an unforeseen commonality shared between a seed and a budding business. Both need the soil, the preparation, the material necessary for growth.  Without such attention, neglecting the process will cause the land to be barren; in a similar respect, neglecting these budding businesses will leave our communities barren.  In an effort to tend to our local small businesses, we need the support of local government and community organizations.  Most importantly, we need the support of individuals who believe in the power of micro-finance, who understand the echoing effect of a contribution and who desire to be a nurturing element in the most crucial phase of development.

Seed Circle- $50-4,999

A little bit goes a long way.  This saying is true, especially when applied to helping a nascent business get the necessary supplies to create a product.  The Seed Circle provides the core and initial help for a seed, a business, to establish itself.  The circle focuses on the creation of strong roots by giving a small business the fundamental materials which they need to exist.  As a part of the Seed Circle, donors provide the essential capital for a seamstress to buy fabric, a candy maker to buy an oven or a swap meet vender to rent space.  The seed circle’s ultimate goal is to root and strengthen the fragile beginning phase of business development.

Sunlight Circle- $5,000-9,999

A plant grows through the rays of light absorbed by the leaves.  Without sunlight as a supplement, the growth of the plant stagnates and the plant regrettably withers away.  Much like the plant, the same can happen to a developing business.  The Sunlight Circle was created to undertake the task of providing small businesses with the opportunity to live.  By bestowing the supplements necessary for continued growth, the Sunlight Circle looks past the beginning and into the future.  The Sunlight Circle aims at giving small businesses growth capital which for example, can provide additional inventory for a retailer or larger equipment and space for a cleaning company.

Blossom Circle-$10,000- 14,999

Maturity comes with several years of growth.  When a plant matures, the plant ceases to be a fragile organism and becomes a sturdy, healthy tree.  The maturity phase of growth has been said to be one of the most beautiful and endearing phases.  The tree blooms and prepares to give life.  In the maturity stage of business development, a business also sees the need to expand.  Many small businesses expand by launching a website or a marketing campaign to develop so that it too can prepare to give new life.  The members of the Blossom Circle provide the opportunity for businesses to branch out.  They exist to nurture business advancement and provide the funds necessary to create things such as marketing materials, a website or advertising campaigns.  The Blossom Circle builds the bridge between growth and expansion.

Life Circle- $15,000 and above

Two of the most essential reasons to invest in micro-finance are economic development and reinvestment of funds. In the Life Circle, the businesses that were nurtured by the brother circles give life to others by creating jobs in our communities. They revive our neighborhoods and provide opportunity for others. Like an apple tree bearing fruit, a business bears opportunities. These opportunities are life changing for many businesses. With the funds provided by the Life Circle, small business owners can hire and train additional employees. In addition to job creation, the funds given by the Life Circle will be reinvested time and again to other businesses who reach this stage of development.  The Life Circle serves as the final catalyst to a cycle of birth, growth, expansion and rebirth.

Make a contribution today and make a difference in the lives of the many micro-entrepreneurs and their families.

Donate Online. Please click here for our online donation page.

Donate By Mail. To donate by mail, click here , print and fill out the form. Please include this form with your check, money order or credit card information and mail to:

ACCION San Diego
Attn: Resource Development
World Trade Center San Diego
1250 6th Avenue, Suite 500
San Diego, CA 92101 USA

Please make checks and money orders payable to ACCION San Diego. If you choose to use your credit card, please fill in the required information at the bottom of the form.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at (619) 685-1380 or 1-800-967-4429.

Other Contribution Programs

Amazon.com Wish List

Look at ACCION San Diego’s wish list at Amazon.com to see items our organization needs donated. You can purchase them on Amazon and they will be mailed directly to our office. Our wish list can be found at: ACCION Wish List.

Corporate Match Gift Program

Your contribution to ACCION San Diego could double with your company’s match gift program. Check with your personnel office to find out if your employer has a matching gift program. They will give you a matching gift application, then just fill it out, and send it to us at the address above.

Ebay’s MissionFish

Donate to ACCION San Diego by selling on eBay! When selling products on eBay supporters can chose to have a percentage of the proceeds go towards ACCION San Diego. Learn how simple and easy it is to sell and donate by visiting MissionFish.

GoodSearch.com Charity Search Engine

What if ACCION San Diego earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Now it can! It's simple, you use GoodSearch.com like any other search engine — the site is powered by Yahoo! — but each time you do, select ACCION San Diego as your charity and GoodSearch will donate money to our program. We hope that not only will you use GoodSearch  as your main search engine from here on out, but will also pass this message on to your friends and family. The more people who use this, the more money will be raised for micro-entrepreneurs in San Diego. www.goodsearch.com

Ralph’s/Cala Foods/Bell Markets Community Contributions Program

Through the Ralph's Community Contributions program, shoppers can support ACCION San Diego by shopping at their local Ralph’s, Cala Foods or Bell Markets grocery stores. With each purchase made, 4% to 5% of the purchase total will be donated to ACCION San Diego at no additional cost to the shopper. To become a participant, contact ACCION San Diego with your club card information. Call (619) 685-1380 or 1-800-967-4429, or click on the link above and enter our NPO number: 82614

www.iGive.com Online Shopping for a Cause

Shop online at over 600 of your favorite stores and a percentage goes to ACCION San Diego at no extra cost to you. You can find Stores like Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Gap.com and Expedia. Sign up at www.igive.com/accionsandiego and do all your online shopping through iGive to benefit ACCION San Diego. Once you buy something in the first 45 days after signing up ACCION will also receive $5 right away!

Volunteering

ACCION San Diego runs a unique volunteer program that provides opportunities for individuals with varying levels of experience and education to work with ACCION and give back to the San Diego community.  The three-tier pyramid offers the chance for individuals to volunteer their time to help ACCION San Diego and its clients.  Volunteers may be highly experienced entrepreneurs, high school or college students, or professionals.  If you are interested in volunteering with ACCION San Diego, there is a place for you.  At ACCION, we do our best to make sure your volunteer experience is personally rewarding.

The Volunteer Resource Committee is designed for seasoned microentrepreneurs who would like to volunteer their time mentoring rising microentrepreneurs. Members of the committee provide their services on an on-call basis assisting ACCION San Diego clients as they work to build successful microenterprises. Mentors apply their personal experience and expertise in running a business to provide advice to ACCION clients on various issues.

The Technical Assistance Committee is designed for professionals looking to apply their skills to help our clients and our organization. Volunteers are available on an on-call basis to assist our clients with technical aspects of running their businesses, from basic accounting to website design. 

The ACCION Volunteer Committee is designed for people who would like to help ACCION by getting the word out to the community about our organization and the services we offer.  This may include delivering brochures, making presentations to community groups, helping with the ACCION San Diego newsletter, or performing other tasks as needed.

Please read through our Volunteer Manual, fill out the last two pages and return them by email to emakee@accionsandiego.org or by fax (619) 685-1470.