OLS Micro Loan
Pilot Project
Earn • Learn • Grow • Give Back
OLS Micro Loan Pilot Project Has Launched!
OLS Micro Loan
Pilot Project
Earn • Learn • Grow • Give Back
The OLS Micro Loan Pilot Project is a structured pilot program for 7 participants designed to build life skills, financial responsibility, work experience, confidence, and compassion through small, supported entrepreneurship projects.
Participants receive small interest free micro loans, complete a project, repay the loan, and keep any profits they earn. Participants can move step-by-step through increasing loan levels as they demonstrate responsibility and readiness. Participants will not be competing against anyone else, they will only be working on their own progress.
For each stage, participants will:
Provide a proposal for a small micro-loan to start a project
Use the money to earn income (a small business, service, or project)
Track spending and earnings
Repay the loan
Keep any extra money earned
Complete a learning activity
Complete a compassion (helping others) activity
Move to the next stage when approved and ready
We invite the community to be part of this initiative by volunteering, mentoring participants, or donating to the revolving micro loan fund. The fund is reused as loans are repaid, your support will help not just one person, but many over time. Together, we can help people build skills, build income, build confidence, and build community.
The OLS Micro Loan Pilot Project is a step-by-step 10 stage program that helps participants build skills, confidence, and income by starting small projects or micro-businesses. Participants receive small loans, run a project, repay the loan, and keep any profit they earn. As they demonstrate responsibility and progress, they can move to the next stage and take on larger projects.
Participants in the pilot program are residents of the OLS Spark of Life House who choose to apply and commit to the responsibilities of the program. Participants must submit a project proposal for each stage and agree to track their income and expenses, repay their loan, complete learning activities, and complete compassion activities. As the program grows, we hope to expand and make it available to more people in the community.
At the end of each stage, participants complete a reflection and financial summary. Project Evaluators review the participant’s effort, learning, responsibility, loan repayment, and completion of learning and compassion activities. Advancement is based on responsibility, effort, and learning.
Participants start with a small loan (up to $100) and can progress through stages with larger loan amounts, up to $5,000, as they successfully complete each stage and repay their loans.
Yes. Participants repay the loan, but they keep any profit they earn. The repaid loan goes back into the revolving fund so it can be used to help the next participant.
This program is designed as a learning program. If a project does not go as planned, participants work with OLS to create a plan, which may include extra time, a payment plan, adjusting the project, or another solution. The goal is learning and responsibility, not punishment.
Participants can try many different types of small projects, such as yard work, cleaning services, baking, crafts, reselling items, small repair services, digital services, and other small business ideas. All projects must be safe, legal, and approved by Project Evaluators before the loan is issued.
A revolving loan fund means that when a participant repays a loan, the money goes back into the fund and is used to provide a loan to another participant. This means one donation can help many people over time.
Project Evaluators are volunteers from the community who review participant project proposals, provide feedback, and help decide when participants are ready to move to the next stage of the program. Their role is to support learning, responsibility, and fairness by acting as reviewers, mentors, and guides who help participants think through their ideas, learn from their experiences, and grow step-by-step through the program.
The program uses 10 stages so participants can grow step-by-step. Starting small reduces risk and helps participants build confidence and skills before taking on larger projects.
No. Participants move at their own pace and may choose to stop at any stage. The program is about growth and learning, not about reaching the final stage as quickly as possible.
The program is designed to build the whole person. Participants complete learning activities to build skills like budgeting, customer service, and planning. They also complete compassion activities to help others and build a sense of community and responsibility.
This is not a grant program where money is given and not returned. This program is based on responsibility and learning. Participants repay their loans and keep their profits, and the repaid money helps the next participant.
There are several ways to support the OLS Micro Loans Pilot Project:
Volunteer your time - email volunteer@ourlivable.solutions
Mentor a participant
Offer workshop training or skills
Help spread the word about the program
Yes. We plan to share updates, stories, and results from the pilot project so supporters can see the impact of the program and how participants are progressing.
Participants learn that they are capable of:
Earning money
Managing money
Solving problems
Helping others
Building something of their own
Becoming leaders in their community
The goal of the pilot is to help participants build skills, confidence, and income, and to test and refine a program that could grow and help more people in the future.
The long-term vision is to create a sustainable program that helps people move from dependence to independence by building skills, earning income, and gaining confidence, while also giving back to the community.