Since its inception six years ago, MERIT has been working to address the root causes of poverty by providing training, advising and resources to underserved people interested in self-employment. MERIT targets economically, socially, educationally, and physically challenged people who would not normally access business services. By creating their own jobs, our clients are empowered to increase income, build assets and move themselves out of poverty.

MERIT was created in 2004 by five non-profit organizations working in Marion and Polk Counties who saw a need for an economic development program that would complement the services they offered. These organizations,  Polk Community Development Corporation, Salem-Keizer Community Development Corporation, Catholic Community Services, West Valley Housing Authority, and the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center, came together to sponsor three AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers.

These volunteers, Rich and Becky Abel and Rob Anderson, drafted a strategic plan for a regional microenterprise development program. Rich Abel, a former DuPont executive from Delaware, was tasked to develop a plan for operations of the MERIT program or Marion Polk Microenterprise Program (MPMP), as it was then called. Becky Abel, a real estate agent from Delaware who had experience teaching financial literacy and home ownership classes, worked on developing access to markets for MERIT clients. And Rob Anderson, a former Peace Corps volunteer who did microenterprise development in Armenia, created a plan for connecting MERIT clients with capital to start their businesses.

They launched MERIT’s first small business training classes in Salem and Dallas in the spring of 2004. After their AmeriCorps year of service was over, Marcia Bagnall stepped in as the director of the program. MERIT has since sponsored four other VISTA volunteers, including Laura Gregg, who expanded MERIT’s reach into Yamhill County. MERIT became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2008 and in 2009, Forrest Peck became the Executive Director.   

Since 2004, MERIT has served over 600 people and has helped 256 people start their businesses. In fiscal year 2008, 27 MERIT clients started businesses.

The MERIT Program is a part of the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center.

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