Ines Polonius's Page

What is the name your organization?

alt.Consulting

What type of work does your organization do?

alt.Consulting is a non-profit organization providing intensive managerial assistance to rural-based and minority-owned businesses in the Arkansas and Mississippi Delta. altYouth assists teens in the Delta start real businesses while altCommunities works with small rural towns to develop and implement entrepreneurship strategies to stabilize their communities. altCapital is working to become a CDFI and deliver innovative capital products in low-wealth communities where there is little collateral for traditional lending.

What area of the country do you work in?

Delta Region: Arkansas, Mississippi, West Tennessee

Who do you work with?

Existing rural and minority-owned businesses looking to grow
Small businesses in crisis in order to turn them around and save jobs
Start-up technology businesses or job creators in rural communities
Rural communities seeking to create entrepreneur friend environments
Lots and lots of partners who share our vision and without whom we could not do our work.

What is the main obstacle your organization encounters that prevents you from doing your work most effectively?

Finding highly qualified staff with MBAs and entrepreneurial experience that are willing to travel and work with individuals in low wealth communities at a salary level that is less than 50% of the private sector.

What do you hope to gain from joining the Rural Innovation Network?

Partnership, Rural Issue Dialogue, Information, Other

If you listed "Other" above, please list specifics below:

Innovative ideas that work in other rural communities across the country that we might be able to test and implement in the Delta. Understand key policy issues that affect our clients and our work.