These tools and services include:

Data collection and analysis services, which provide microenterprise organizations with critical program insights and improve their ability to collect and use high-quality, rigorous data. These services include:

• Data collection tools. MicroTracker provides surveys and data entry and cleaning forms that   participating organizations use to collect and submit data.
• Data cleaning. MicroTracker staff review the data submitted to ensure that it is consistent across   organizations and over time.
• Data interpretation. MicroTracker consults with organizations to help them to understand the findings from the data and how they can be used to strengthen their organization’s work.
• Data presentation. MicroTracker staff helps organizations to communicate their data findings to key   audiences – their boards, funders, the media, and others.

A set of standardized metrics that allow organizations to compare their organizational performance and client outcomes to those of other microenterprise organizations, and to track their own activities, effectiveness, and outcomes over time.

A nationwide data set on the activities, scale, effectiveness, and outcomes of US microenterprise organizations, using microTracker’s standardized measures. The database is fed by two annual data collection efforts:

• The US Microenterprise Census, through which programs report data on their products and services, client demographics, volume (people served, loans made), portfolio performance, and program costs. MicroTracker collects and publishes this data from microenterprise development organizations on microTracker.org annually.
• The EntrepreneurTracker client outcomes survey, in which participating organizations use a   common survey methodology to collect data on the outcomes their clients achieve after receiving services. Participating microenterprise development organizations report this data which is published annually on microTracker.org

A website — microTracker.org — that provides access to microTracker’s nationwide database, and provides analysis tools that allow users to segment the data to compare individual organizations to relevant industry peers, to other organization in their state, or to the industry as a whole. MicroTracker.org is also used by funders, the media, and others to find and learn about microenterprise organizations regionally and nationally.  MicroTracker.org also hosts data collection for the US Microenterprise Census and EntrepreneurTracker client outcomes survey.

For more information on what products or services may be useful to your organization in making the case for your work, contact us at:

Phone: (202) 736-1071

E-Mail: microtracker@aspeninstitute.org 

MicroTracker and BOI

MicroTracker is an initiative of the Aspen Institute Business Ownership Initiative in Washington, DC. BOI works to build understanding and strengthen the role of business ownership as an economic opportunity strategy. We work closely with micro- and small business practitioners and the institutions that invest in them around the US to build knowledge and strengthen practice by exploring innovation, conducting research, evaluating new ideas, and supporting leaders. The initiative houses our longstanding work to support the US microenterprise development industry. BOI also serves as a resource to donors and investors interested in microenterprise in the United States. BOI is an initiative of the Economic Opportunities Program. For more information about BOI and its work, please visit as.pn/boi.