Kimberley D. Brown

Today marks the first of many Board of Directors Meetings that I will have the pleasure of attending as both board member and representative of Richland County for the Central Midlands Council of Governments. The CMOG proudly advocates on behalf of regional governments, businesses, and the citizens of Richland, Lexington, Newberry and Fairfield counties by keeping tabs on growth and development, which serves as the basis for decision makers in both the public and private sectors.

The Archer School, a historic institution, is becoming affordable housing for seniors with a $2M investment from the South Carolina Community Loan Fund (SCCLF) and the Humanities Foundation. SCCLF, administering ARPA funds for Charleston County, fills a crucial funding gap, bringing the Archer School Apartments project to 80 percent completion. Deborah McKetty, CEO of SCCLF, expresses excitement about the vital project, emphasizing their commitment to funding affordable housing and anticipating the positive impact on the Charleston community. “SCCLF is committed to funding affordable housing projects,” said Deborah McKetty, CEO of SCCLF. “We are thrilled to see such an important project come to life, and we look forward to seeing how the Archer School Apartments meets the needs of the Charleston community.”

My first annual in Washington D.C. was one for the books! The break out sessions and speaker lineup’s were informative and I enjoyed networking with other CDFI’s & CDE’s. Hope to see you all again next year!

Are you coming to this month's Lunch & Learn?

If you'd love to gain skills to help you launch or grow your business, then you'll want to cash in on our free value-packed Lunch & Learn.

September's topic is all about Managing Cash Flow. We'll cover key elements of a business, including managing your cash flow, and we'll also explore business expansion and insurance. Before we send you home, we'll connect you with a few resources that can help even more.

Registration is free, sign up now: https://mtr.cool/eorijfkhrm

Hope to see you there!

The Columbia Lender Matchmaker Event will be held Tuesday, September 12th at the Richland Library Main located at 1431 Assembly St. from 10 AM to 2 PM.

For more information, please view the flyer.

We certainly enjoyed meeting with our valued borrowers, Spartanburg Northside Development Group. They’ve managed to develop a portion of their allocated 400 acres of land into a self sustaining resource while respecting the needs and wants of the community. It’s footprint currently includes:

Housing: The Village at Creekside, Northside Station
Education: Franklin School
Wellness: Harvest Park, Hub City Farmers market, BirthMatters, Access Health to provide care for individuals who lack insurance.
Built Environment: Butterfly Creek

Through our financing, Northside was able to develop its fresh market hub known as Harvest Park, an urban farm that provides fresh fruits and vegetables, the Monarch Café, a culinary training center, and a gathering place for residents. Read more about the Northside Development Group’s many economic development activities here:

https://www.spartanburgndg.com/harvest-park

Meet Richland County's new treasure Kendra Dove is no stranger to the Treasurer's Office, having worked there for over a decade, however, now she's stepping into the leadership role, overseeing finance

South Carolina Community Loan Fund Announces 2023 Feeding Innovation Application Deadline to apply is July 18, 2023 INVEST/ GIVE/ BORROW NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE South Carolina Community Loan Fund Greg Perry, Program and Partnership Manager E: [email protected]

On a whim, I decided to take a tour of a few of the affordable housing projects right here in my own city, . I met some really incredible and passionate people who were equally interested in learning how to better eradicate the current market 🏡. Thank you Homeless No More for your commitment to our community and for giving us a glimpse into your remarkable efforts!

The industry is starting to see quite an uptick in affordable housing requests for financing. While some banks have an appetite for the niche program, ’s have the flexibility, relationships, loan programs and the terms to perfectly position new or existing affordable housing agencies and developers to request funding for and funds through SC Community Loan Fund. If you’re looking to gap fund your affordable housing project, we are happy to review your project details!

I’m excited to have been invited to attend this informational session on behalf of SC Community Loan Fund . We will be on site to answer any questions regarding access to capital for minority owned small businesses and or businesses that directly impact that needs of minority communities. What a great opportunity to celebrate Juneteenth!

Access to Capital & Resources for Small Businesses Mon, Jun 19, 2023 at 4:00 PM

The SBA, NPHC, and SCACED have partnered to to bring resources and support to entrepreneurs and small businesses owners at an informational session in Columbia, SC on June 19th from 4:00 – 6:30PM. Complimentary services offered on-site will focus on access to capital, government contracting, disaster recovery & resilience, and counseling & technical assistance.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/access-to-capital-resources-for-small-businesses-entrepreneurs-tickets-646458664267

We've partnered with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to host a free Homeowners and Rental Assistance Workshop on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The workshop will be held at the SiMT-Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology Building, 1951 Pisgah Road, Florence, SC 29501.

Attendees will hear from staff members of CMA, HUD, the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC Housing), the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA), the Eastern Carolina Housing Organization (ECHO), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission (SCHAC).

This workshop will provide a wealth of resources to educate, guide, and assist communities of color on the following topics:
• Fair Housing
• Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Programs
• Homebuying programs
• Homelessness Assistance Programs
• Housing Counseling
• Rental Assistance

Space is limited, and registration is required. To register, visit https://sccmahousingrentalassistanceworkshop.eventbrite.com

For more information, call the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs at 803-333-9621.

What an amazing initiative by South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs! I’m looking forward to attending!

The South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs (CMA) is hosting its 30th anniversary celebration on Thursday, June 29, 2023, at the Columbia Convention Center (1101 Lincoln St., Columbia, SC 29201) to celebrate the agency’s commitment to serving the State of South Carolina. The Anniversary Celebration & Scholarship Gala begins at 6 p.m. with a VIP reception and cultural showcase, followed by the main event at 7 p.m.

Two-time New York Times best-selling author, civil rights activist, attorney, and entrepreneur Bakari Sellers is the keynote speaker. WLTX-TV anchor Whitney Sullivan will serve as our mistress of ceremonies. The celebration will also include a performance from 7Sunday and a cultural showcase featuring the Eastern Cherokee, Southern Iroquois and United Tribes of South Carolina, the Filipino American Association of Greater Columbia (FAAGC), South Carolina, the Gullah/Geechee Nation, and Palmetto Luna Arts.

As a part of our celebration efforts, CMA will launch its Bridging the Gap initiative to fund programs aimed at assisting low-income, disadvantaged students, including those whose parents are incarcerated, with their educational needs. In addition, CMA will provide technical assistance to its various program areas and support to its small, disadvantaged minority businesses. The proceeds from this event will be used to fund the programs included in this initiative.

Tickets are $100 and are available for purchase at https://sccma30thanniversarycelebration.eventbrite.com

For more information, call the Commission for Minority Affairs at 803-333-9621.

Today we kicked off the opening session for the SC Community Capital Alliance with a morning full of impactful speakers. It was great to hear John Gettys - Rock Hill Mayor ‘s vision for the city of Rock Hill and how he’d prefer to keep small, locally-owned businesses a staple as opposed to moving in the direction of the surrounding areas where corporate entities and skyscrapers have recently emerged. I also had the pleasure of meeting the recently named USDA Administrator, for Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Dr. Karama Neal! She is filled with such a genuine light and has so much desire to share the agencies mission! It was certainly an honor to have met her!

Looking forward to Day 2!

South Carolina Needs to Cap Interest Rates Now! SC Community Loan Fund is a member of the SC Fair Lending Alliance, a statewide coalition advocating to pass legislation to cap interest rates on consumer loans in our state at 36%.

Bill S.518 has just been introduced into the South Carolina senate to accomplish that goal. Our collaborating partner, SC Fair Lending Alliance, is asking supporters to write, email or call their SC Senators to make them aware of bill S.518 and complete the "Take Action" form on their website. The form will pre-populate a message of support. You may personalize it or send it as is. https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/messages/edit?promo_id=19192

Certainly looking forward to attending this conference in Rock Hill next week! Excited to gain more insight into implementing finance strategies and supporting community economic development across South Carolina.

2023 South Carolina Community Capital Conference | South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development The conference will highlight innovations in impact investing, creative community financing tools and identify new capital sources to support community economic development in South Carolina.