Our Mission

Mission Statement
To assist primarily low and moderate-income residents of the Syracuse Community start, expand, or enhance their small businesses through skills training and peer support as well as offer credit that may otherwise be unavailable to them.

Who We Are
Microcredit Group of Central New York, Inc. (d/b/a Appleseed Trust) is a registered section 501c3 not-for-profit corporation in the State of New York. We have been working since 1997 to facilitate economic and community revitalization in economically depressed and otherwise disadvantaged communities in the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County and surrounding areas of Central New York State. We assist budding entrepreneurs with both basic and advanced business skills training, technical assistance and, for those that qualify, making small business loans to establish a business or further develop/expand an already existing business. We've helped start 60 ongoing small businesses in the greater Syracuse area, through training and micro lending.

What You Need

• An IDEA for a Product or Service
• The COMMITMENT and MOTIVATION to attend nine training sessions
• The willingness to THINK about, DISCUSS, and LEARN the material being presented
• Complete homework and PARTICIPATE in class exercises
• Maintain a POSITIVE ATTITUDE about yourself, your business, and other students
• Come PREPARED; bring your manual and a writing instrument to all sessions!

What We Will Provide

• INFORMATION
  ...your course manual, class discussions/presentations/ homework
• RESOURCES
  ...upon graduation from either of our courses you may be eligible for a microloan
• CONTACTS
  ...people/organizations/programs
• REFERRALS
  ...other businesses/program graduates/mentors
• ENCOURAGEMENT!!!!