Systems Change & Policy Translation
We improve how small business programs work in practice—by identifying recurring barriers and piloting administrative process improvements with implementers and community partners.
Implementation, Not Legislation
Barriers usually aren’t about a lack of resources—they’re about how systems operate in practice: requirements that don’t match business reality, verification steps that create dead ends, timelines that don’t work, and handoffs between organizations that break down. The focus here is administrative and operational improvement—changes that implementers can test within existing authority.
What Happens Here
Map the real pathway businesses experience (from awareness → application → review → decision → follow-through) and document common failure points.
Turn patterns into practical, implementer-ready options: what can change, who controls it, and what “better” would look like.
Test one improvement with an implementer partner (city ops, a funder, a CDFI, or an intermediary) and track what changes.
Document the pilot into reusable tools (checklists, clearer guidance, workflow steps) so others can adopt it without starting from scratch.
What Gets Improved
Current Focus Areas
Early pilots focus on removing the most common dead ends businesses hit across city processes, funders, CDFIs, and intermediaries.
Star Grant (St. Paul)
Working with Saint Paul leaders and implementers to map where businesses get stuck in the STAR pathway and identify improvements that can be made within existing authority.
Access Pathway Alignment
Clarifying handoffs between TA providers, funders/CDFIs, and city processes so businesses don’t hit a dead end after the first step.
Practical Tools
Developing plain-language checklists, templates, and workflow guides that reduce back-and-forth and help businesses complete requirements.
Current Focus: STAR (St. Paul)
Why This Focus
Saint Paul has shown it can move resources quickly with low administrative burden. But the STAR pathway is strongest for capital improvements and can create barriers for businesses facing immediate disruption.
Common friction points
- Capital-only focus (limited support for urgent survival needs)
- Documentation requirements that don’t match microbusiness reality
- Insurance/match requirements that can block small operators
- Process steps that create drop-offs and delays
What’s Happening Now
We’re mapping the STAR pathway end-to-end and working with city leaders and implementers to identify improvements that can be made within existing authority.
Early improvements being scoped
- A clearer microbusiness pathway (who qualifies + what flexibility exists)
- Documentation and verification options that still meet compliance needs
- Clearer timelines, status updates, and “what happens next”
Output: A short implementation memo + practical tools (checklists/guidance/workflow steps) that partners can adopt.
Have You Experienced a Barrier?
If a city process, funder requirement, or CDFI pathway created a dead end for a business, share what happened. Patterns help identify what needs redesign—and what can change within existing authority.
Prefer email? Contact Us