FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Local entrepreneurs, lenders, partners, and community members gathered at the Stonebreaker Hotel on Thursday, April 23, for the annual Kiva NWA Party.
A celebration of the borrowers, mission partners, and supporters who together are expanding access to capital for small business owners across Washington and Benton counties.
Operated locally by Startup Junkie and supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Kiva NWA Hub provides character-based, crowdfunded loans of up to $15,000 at 0% interest to small business owners across the region. Thursday’s event brought that work to life: at least 25 past Kiva NWA loan recipients were represented throughout the evening — catering the food, spinning records as the night’s DJ, capturing the gathering behind the camera, and contributing prizes to a live raffle drawn from their own businesses.
The result was an evening that doubled as a working showcase of the local entrepreneurs Kiva NWA exists to support, and an opportunity for community members to experience the products, services, and stories behind the loans.
Kiva NWA Director Claudia Scott welcomed the crowd and used her remarks to recognize the network of borrowers, neighbors, partners, and funders that make the program possible.
- “Northwest Arkansas continues to demonstrate what genuine community-driven economic development looks like in practice. The strength of our small business ecosystem is a direct reflection of the entrepreneurs who build it and the neighbors, partners, and funders who invest in their success. Supporting their access to capital remains one of the most rewarding parts of my work at Startup Junkie,” said Scott.
Recent Kiva NWA loan recipient Tiffany Henry, co-founder of Smudge, also addressed the crowd, sharing how the program shaped a turning point for her growing business.
“Support from Kiva NWA and Startup Junkie came at a critical time for Smudge. Kiva’s support helped us purchase bulk ingredients, packaging, and key equipment that lowered our costs and helped us move into retail. We would not be at this stage without their support,” said Henry.
Henry’s story reflects the program’s broader trajectory. Since launching in January 2020, Kiva NWA has facilitated more than $2 million in 0%-interest microloans to more than 200 small business owners across the region, with the majority of the program’s loans going to a woman or minority entrepreneur. The program is intentionally designed to reach the underbanked entrepreneurs traditionally excluded from conventional bank lending.
Kiva loans are crowdfunded by individual lenders worldwide and do not require traditional credit scores, collateral, or high interest rates. In addition to providing 0% interest financing, the program helps entrepreneurs build financial history, increase visibility, and strengthen business fundamentals through one-on-one advising.
Entrepreneurs in Washington or Benton counties interested in applying for a Kiva NWA loan, and community members interested in lending or partnering, can learn more at kiva-nwa.org.
