Kiva Detroit launches Kiva Zip with Puzzle Piece Theatre

Posted: Sept. 28, 2012 at 6:40 a.m.

DETROIT - Michigan Corps is excited to announce the launch of Kiva Zip, an exciting new addition to Kiva Detroit, which extends an opportunity for Detroiters to nominate and lend directly to local entrepreneurs building a vibrant Detroit. Kiva Zip, a new program of Kiva.org, leverages innovations in technology to enable any citizen to nominate a local entrepreneur for community support and contribute directly to a crowd-funded, interest-free loan. As part of the unique peer-to-peer Kiva Zip platform, citizen lenders and entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to interact directly via an online forum that facilitates the exchange of ideas related to an entrepreneur's progress.

Puzzle Piece Theatre's producing artistic director D.B. Schroeder was selected as Kiva Zip's first borrower in Detroit. "As a newcomer to the area, the biggest challenge you find is securing that first source of funding. Through our participation in Kiva Zip, we can solve that problem, produce our first main stage production, and show the city what we are about. With the support of citizens lending $25 dollars at a time to help us reach our goal of $5,000, we are building a community of investors who are becoming engaged with our mission, and want to see us succeed," says Schroeder.

Puzzle Piece Theatre debuted its community programming last July as part of Figment Detroit. The group will use the Kiva Zip funds to launch its main stage offerings in February 2013.

To invest and learn more about this initiative visit https://zip.kiva.org/loans/394.

"We are thrilled to unveil the addition of Kiva Zip in Detroit with Puzzle Piece Theatre," said Elizabeth Garow, director of strategic initiatives at Michigan Corps. "Kiva Detroit mobilizes the community to nominate, lend to and champion civic-minded entrepreneurs across our city. We were thrilled to see one of our inaugural Kiva Detroit businesses, Thrive Detroit, nominate and make the first $25 loan to Puzzle Piece Theatre. This is what Kiva Detroit is all about – bringing our community together to support emerging and existing businesses that have a positive impact in our community."

To discover how you can nominate and champion an entrepreneur, visit www.michigancorps.org/kiva

For more information, contact kiva@michigancorps.org or call 313-451-1217

To find out more about Puzzle Piece Theatre, visit www.puzzlestage.org.