The U.S. Small Business Administration and Operation HOPE, Inc., signed a Strategic Alliance Memorandum (SAM) to encourage entrepreneurship and economic empowerment through increased collaboration on entrepreneurial and financial education for small business owners. 

The alliance signing took place at Operation HOPE's HOPE Global Financial Dignity Summit November 13, 2013, in Atlanta, Ga.with John Hope Bryant, Operation HOPE's founder and CEO, Tameka Montgomery, SBA Associate Administrator for Entrepreneurial Development, and SBA Region Four Administrator Cassius Butts.

"The SBA is pleased to work with Operation HOPE, Inc. to drive economic development through business ownership," said SBA Associate Administrator Montgomery.  "We believe our efforts will help foster entrepreneurial empowerment to communities across the nation.  The benefit for Americans is clear—by encouraging entrepreneurism, we'll be helping people through their hard work and ideas gain a firm economic footing and achieve the American Dream."

The SAM is designed to spur economic development through small business growth, and to improve entrepreneurial education that advances greater access to capital, expanded technical assistance and access to procurement programs.

Operation HOPE, Inc. is America's first nonprofit social investment bank and a national provider of financial literacy and economic empowerment programs. Through ongoing collaborations and long-term partnerships with leading government, private sector, and community interests, Operation HOPE works to bring self-sufficiency and a sustained spirit of revitalization to America's inner-city communities.

At the core of Operation HOPE's mission is to empower communities through financial capability and dignity for all through its movement of "Silver Rights" or the right to financial literacy, making free enterprise work for everyone.

SBA, its resource partners and Operation Hope will collaborate to provide small business counseling and training, and work together to make resources available to benefit entrepreneurs across the country.