By : Dale Neal
Source : http://www.citizen-times.com
Category : Small Business Grant
Coffee-drinkers nationwide are helping expand small businesses and create new jobs in Western North Carolina.
Mountain BizWorks has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the Create Jobs for USA Fund, a collaboration between Starbucks and the Opportunity Finance Network.
The Starbucks Foundation seeded the initiative last fall with a $5 million contribution. Donors who kicked in $5 at one of the 7,000 coffee shops nationwide received a red,white and blue wristband with the motto “Indivisible.” All those funds go to community development financial institutions such as Mountain BizWorks.
“We’re pleased that Starbucks recognizes the important work that CDFIs are doing and honored that the Create Jobs for USA Fund has made a grant to us,” said Shaw Canale, CEO at Mountain BizWorks. “This will help Mountain BizWorks to create and sustain jobs in Western North Carolina.”
“Mountain BizWorks received this grant because it has demonstrated that it will provide financing that is good for community businesses and good for communities,” said Mark Pinsky, president and CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network.
Mountain BizWorks is best-known for its classes in writing business plans and other support for entreprenuers, but the nonprofit is also a leading lender for startup businesses that are often deemed too risky for traditional bank loans.
In its 24-year history, the nonprofit has made about $4 million in loans to startups and small businesses. In 2011, Mountain Bizworks made 51 loans totaling about $1 million — a 30 percent increase in lending over the previous year.
Mountain BizWorks currently has about $3.5 million in total lending capital. Of that, $1.5 million is available for lending.
“We continue to raise private loan capital from individuals, banks, foundations, religious institutions and corporations to meet the needs for small business loan capital in Western North Carolina’ said Nathan Harlan, Mountain BizWorks director of development. The organization is especially interested in finding local investors who want to put their money into the local economy.
Over the next five years, the nonprofit has an ambitious goal to lend $20 million to companies creating permanent jobs for the middle class.
Source: http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20120214/NEWS/302140024/Mountain-BizWorks-gets-20-000-grant-from-Starbucks?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Frontpage|p
Source : http://www.citizen-times.com
Category : Small Business Grant
Coffee-drinkers nationwide are helping expand small businesses and create new jobs in Western North Carolina.
Mountain BizWorks has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the Create Jobs for USA Fund, a collaboration between Starbucks and the Opportunity Finance Network.
The Starbucks Foundation seeded the initiative last fall with a $5 million contribution. Donors who kicked in $5 at one of the 7,000 coffee shops nationwide received a red,white and blue wristband with the motto “Indivisible.” All those funds go to community development financial institutions such as Mountain BizWorks.
“We’re pleased that Starbucks recognizes the important work that CDFIs are doing and honored that the Create Jobs for USA Fund has made a grant to us,” said Shaw Canale, CEO at Mountain BizWorks. “This will help Mountain BizWorks to create and sustain jobs in Western North Carolina.”
“Mountain BizWorks received this grant because it has demonstrated that it will provide financing that is good for community businesses and good for communities,” said Mark Pinsky, president and CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network.
Mountain BizWorks is best-known for its classes in writing business plans and other support for entreprenuers, but the nonprofit is also a leading lender for startup businesses that are often deemed too risky for traditional bank loans.
In its 24-year history, the nonprofit has made about $4 million in loans to startups and small businesses. In 2011, Mountain Bizworks made 51 loans totaling about $1 million — a 30 percent increase in lending over the previous year.
Mountain BizWorks currently has about $3.5 million in total lending capital. Of that, $1.5 million is available for lending.
“We continue to raise private loan capital from individuals, banks, foundations, religious institutions and corporations to meet the needs for small business loan capital in Western North Carolina’ said Nathan Harlan, Mountain BizWorks director of development. The organization is especially interested in finding local investors who want to put their money into the local economy.
Over the next five years, the nonprofit has an ambitious goal to lend $20 million to companies creating permanent jobs for the middle class.
Source: http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20120214/NEWS/302140024/Mountain-BizWorks-gets-20-000-grant-from-Starbucks?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Frontpage|p
