Kiva Iowa

Kiva Iowa helps diverse and vibrant small businesses all across the state access affordable capital and small business resources.

09/03/2026

Meet Chi — pharmacist, wife, mom, and founder of Lovely Hair Extensions! 💇‍♀️✨

Chi built her business to help women at every stage of life look and feel their absolute best with healthy hair products, wigs, and low-maintenance styles, including specialized solutions for women experiencing hair loss.

Now, she’s taking a huge leap: moving from online to opening her very first physical storefront! 🏪 A Kiva loan will help her stock inventory, buy essential equipment, and directly serve her local community.

You can help make her dream a reality. Lend to Chi’s Kiva campaign today and support her next chapter: http://www.kiva.org/lend/3225845

🛍️ Explore her collection: https://lovelyhair.shop/

08/27/2026

Big moves for a local favorite! 🍧✨

Ursula, creator of Snow Nouveau Botanical Shave Ice, is taking her business to the next level. Blending her Big Island Hawai'i roots with her background in Sustainable Living from Maharishi University, she’s elevated traditional shave ice into a botanical dessert experience — crafted with organic herbal and fruit syrups. 🏝️

After two years of pop-ups throughout the Midwest, Snow Nouveau now has a permanent home inside Scream Ice Cream Shop's new spot on the Fairfield square! (Shoutout to fellow Kiva borrower, SCREAM! 🤝)

Ursula will continue running her mobile booth for events while serving up her signature eco-friendly, artisan treats on the square. 🌿🌺

Congratulations, Ursula! We’re so excited to see Snow Nouveau grow. 🤩

08/25/2026

Hey All! We’re excited to announce a new partnership between Kiva U.S. and Operation HOPE, Inc. that expands the no-cost business support available to entrepreneurs across our ecosystem.

Operation HOPE will be offering one-on-one business coaching, mentorship, workshops, business planning support, and guidance on financial planning and access to capital.

In recognition of Black Business Month, Operation HOPE’s One Million Black Businesses (1MBB) initiative is hosting the following virtual sessions. All sessions begin at 12:00 p.m. ET (11am CT). See below fliers for additional information!

08/18/2026

🎉 FULLY FUNDED! Huge congratulations to Samantha Morrow on fully funding her Kiva loan for CLAY-MATIONS Studio! 🏺✨

Samantha’s love for pottery started early, finding peace and purpose in the hands-on art of working with clay. After earning her BFA in Ceramics from Iowa State University, she turned her passion into a community hub right in Ames!

CLAY-MATIONS Studio offers family-friendly pottery instruction for all ages — including flexible, one-time lessons that were not previously available locally. Built around the concept of giving people the "Freedom to Create," Samantha handles all the messy cleanup so her guests can focus on socializing, connecting, and trying something new.

With her loan now 100% funded, Samantha is ready to upgrade and expand her studio space! We can't wait to see what she creates next. 💙

08/11/2026

Meet Dominek & Quinton, the husband-and-wife duo behind Qddogs — a family-owned mobile food business bringing hot dogs, Polish sausages, burgers, chips, and drinks to local spots across Waterloo! 🌭 (Fun fact: the name Qddogs comes from combining Quinton and Dominek 🙂)

What started as a simple dream has grown into a mission centered on quality food, friendly service, and affordable meals — all while showing their kids that hard work and dedication pay off. 🍽️

Be a part of their growth and support journeys like theirs today: https://newbo.co/kiva/

07/28/2026

Her recipe for life? "Set the goal. Then, run as fast as you can to catch it!" 🏃‍♀️

Meet Jadell Boyd, the powerhouse single mom of two behind Tu Wayy Catering! If you’ve been to UNI’s Dome, the McLeod Center, local farmer's markets, or community festivals around Cedar Falls, chances are you’ve already tasted her amazing comfort classics with a modern twist. 🍲✨

For Jadell, food has always been about love and connection. But her purpose runs even deeper: through her work with the Hail Mary Project, she’s dedicated to lifting up at-risk youth. Now, she’s bringing that mission full circle by hiring and mentoring those same young people — giving them the tools and confidence to chase their own dreams.

Next up on her menu? Opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant! Behind her in this photo (with her son & star employee! 📸👇) is the future home of a space meant to bring jobs, mentorship, and vibrant community back to life — one plate at a time. 🍽️

💡 0% interest, zero-fee microloans like Kiva make these types of community-changing dreams possible. 👉 Support local entrepreneurs like Jadell today: https://newbo.co/kiva/

07/14/2026

We are so excited to introduce Kat, the brilliant mind behind Familiar Cat Café — opening this month in Marion, IA! 🐱☕

If you’ve spent time at the NewBo City Market in Cedar Rapids, you might already recognize Kat from their days as a popular pop-up vendor. Now, they’re bringing something truly magical and permanent to our area. ✨

Familiar is more than just great coffee and cozy cats (though there’s plenty of both!). Kat has envisioned a welcoming space where healing, intention, and adoption come together.

What makes Familiar so special?

🐾 Adoption Partnerships: Through a partnership with Funky Paws Animal Rescue of Buchanan County, they are actively supporting cat adoptions and helping reduce shelter overcrowding.

🎨 Local Love: You can browse and shop works from local artists and makers sold on consignment, making every visit a way to give back to the community.

07/07/2026

Meet Felicia, the powerhouse owner behind Cirque Wonderland Studios! 🎪✨

She discovered aerial arts in her mid-20s and never looked back. What started as a fun hobby has grown into a 6,000 sq. ft. circus and aerial fitness gym built on confidence, inclusivity, and community (no experience required!).

The big news? She’s expanding. 🚀

Over the past four years, Felicia has more than tripled her space — and now, she’s bringing bungee fitness to Des Moines!

Why we are so excited:

🔥 It’s the #1 searched aerial/circus concept in Iowa.

🛑 There is currently zero local competition.

📍 Cirque Wonderland is perfectly positioned to meet a massive demand in the DSM community.

We couldn't be prouder to support her on this journey. 👏

👇 Check out the link in the comments to learn more about Felicia and her amazing story!

Address

415 12th Avenue SE
Cedar Rapids, IA
52401

Website

https://newbo.co/kiva/

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