THIS PROJECT WILL ENHANCE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND WELL-BEING OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES IN RURAL IDAHO COMMUNITIES. WE WILL RESEARCH AND PROVIDE EDUCATION TO ENTREPRENEURIAL WOMEN, WITH AN IN-DEPTH FOCUS ON HISPANIC AND NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN, TO INCREASE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND RESILIENCE. CURRENTLY, FEW ORGANIZATIONS IN NORTH IDAHO OFFER SUPPORT TAILORED TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF WOMEN, HISPANIC, AND NATIVE AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURS. THIS PROJECT WILL RESEARCH HOW DEMOGRAPHIC AND LOCAL ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS AFFECT THE DECISION TO ENGAGE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF MINORITY WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES. IT WILL INVESTIGATE STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNICATING WITH, RECRUITING, AND SUPPORTING MINORITY WOMEN. RESEARCHERS ALSO WILL INVESTIGATE THE ROLE TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL RESOURCES PLAY IN THE SUCCESS OF MINORITY WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURIAL ENDEAVORS. UI EXTENSION WILL IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS TO MINORITY ENTREPRENEURISM THAT CAN BEADEQUATELY ADDRESSED VIA APPROPRIATE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE MODIFICATIONS TO NEW OR EXISTING ENTREPRENEURISM PROGRAMS. THEN, UI EXTENSION WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT NEW CURRICULUM AND ONLINE COURSES TO FACILITATE WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP. THIS PROJECT WILL ENGAGE STUDENTS FROM THE COLLEGE OF LAW, THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS, AND ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY IN RESEARCH, SERVICE ACTIVITIES, AND A BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION TO SUPPORT WOMEN ENTREPRENEURISM. WE WILL ALSO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A NONPROFIT CENTER FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURISM IN NORTHERN IDAHO, WHICH WILL BE A FUTURE PARTNER TO UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS. INVOLVING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT ENSURES THE ANALYSIS AND PROGRAMS ARE REALISTICALLY GROUNDED IN CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES AND HISPANIC AND NATIVE AMERICAN RESIDENTS.