Supporting Marginalized Women Entrepreneurs Through Crowdlending Communication
Principal Investigator: Irene Lu, Marketing
Project Title: Supporting Marginalized Women Entrepreneurs Through Crowdlending Communication
Funder: CUASA EDI
This project examines how marginalized women entrepreneurs use Kiva crowdlending campaigns to communicate their needs, goals, and readiness to potential funders. Because funders often rely on short campaign narratives when deciding whether to lend, the study explores how emotional and linguistic features of these narratives shape how funders perceive the entrepreneurs and whether they are willing to provide support. Drawing on evidence from Kiva campaign narratives, the study aims to identify how communication can support more equitable access to prosocial capital. The findings will inform practical guidance for women entrepreneurs and the organizations that support them.