Opportunity Fund gets $350,000 for microloans from Community Foundation Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ >> Most banks won’t bother with requests for small business loans of $50,000 or less because they are not very profitable, but small business owners in Santa Cruz County are in luck.

The nonprofit Opportunity Fund, California’s leading microlender with offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Jose, has received a $350,000 “charitable investment loan” from Community Foundation Santa Cruz County to provide capital for microloans to nonprofit and for-profit entrepreneurs in Santa Cruz County. “We would love a flood of inquiries.”

In Santa Cruz County, the loan consultant is Griselda Gil-Solis; the answer on a loan request comes in a week.

Angel investor Bud Colligan introduced Community Foundation leaders to Opportunity Fund.

Last year, a $15,000 grant from Community Foundation Santa Cruz County helped Opportunity Fund make over $744,000 in small business loans ranging from $2,600 to $100,000 to over 40 entrepreneurs in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.

The new investment resulted as Opportunity Fund was looking for capital and the foundation was looking for new ways to make an impact.

“We’ve set aside a portion of our endowment to undertake local investments that are meant to achieve social good and provide positive financial returns,” said Lance Linares, chief executive officer of Community Foundation Santa Cruz County.

“Our board is looking for innovative ways to make positive and lasting local change,” added board president Michael O’Farrell.

In 20 years, Opportunity Fund has helped more than 8,000 Californians with more than $80 million in loans to start or grow small businesses. Repayment rate is 92 percent and business survival rate is 95 percent.

About 87 percent of the microloans go to minority-owned businesses, 47 percent to businesses owned by women.

In 2010, the U.S.

Microloan programs are vital as they provide the capital for start ups and other smaller capital needs, said Teresa Thomae, who heads the Small Business Development Center at Cabrillo College, which helped 350 businesses get $5 million in loans last year.

Often entrepreneurs use credit cards, “but this is not always the best option as interest rates are very high,” Thomae said, noting a microloan program aims to help the borrower “graduate” to larger loan programs as the business grows.

Warriors have big goals for community foundation – SFGate

Amid a regular season during which they’ve broken the franchise record for victories, clinched a division title for the first time in 39 years and appear to be a title contender while playing a beautiful brand of unselfish basketball, the Warriors haven’t forgotten about the less fortunate.

Amid a year during which they were deemed the Team of the Year at the Sports Business Awards, won a league-high seven sales and marketing honors at the NBA meetings, and have built their season-ticket waiting list to nearly 12,000 people, the Warriors haven’t forgotten about their commitment to the community.

After buying the team and studying the almost moribund Warriors Community Foundation, Lacob and Guber decided to rejuvenate the program and relaunch it in 2013. It’s a heartbreaking experience to decide which needs can be met, but Curran, a former teacher, has decided to aim the Warriors’ efforts at education for underserved youth in San Francisco and the East Bay.

Just this season, the Warriors have refurbished public basketball courts in East Oakland, Richmond and the Western Addition of San Francisco.

On Friday, Warriors swingman Brandon Rush attended a “Math Hoops” event at Cleveland Elementary in San Francisco.

The Warriors Community Foundation isn’t like most endowments, which raise money and then give about 5 percent away each year.

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Canton celebrates Acts of CultureCanton celebrates Acts of Culture

The Michigan Philharmonic will perform during the Canton Acts of Culture Week.(Photo: Michigan Philharmonic)

Canton will spotlight arts and culture during the fifth annual Canton Acts of Culture Week, running Friday, April 24, through Sunday, May 3, throughout the community.

The week is presented by the Canton Commission for Culture, Arts and Heritage and sponsored by Canton Community Foundation.

Some of the many goals of Canton’s Acts of Culture Week include: showcasing community cultural resources and partnerships; celebrating diverse culture offerings; raising awareness of arts accessibility; instilling an appreciation of local arts organizations; and promoting the arts and heritage in and around the Canton community.

In celebration of the arts, a variety of events will be held, some of which include:

a The Michigan Philharmonic’s performance of “Middle Eastern Fusion Fest” at 2 p.m., Sunday May 3, at the Village Theater at Cherry Hill, 50400 Cherry Hill Road. Tickets may be purchased online at www.michiganphil.org or by contacting the Michigan Philharmonic at 734-451-2112.

a The fifth annual Ladies Dillenbeck Art Exhibition Reception, 2-4 p.m. Hosted by Sharon Lee Dillenbeck, owner/operator of D&M Art Studio, this exhibition will feature recent original works of art, including Dillenbeck’s work and those of her daughters Erin and Kristin and her sister Donna Knight.

Executive Director, Darlene MacGillivary says the Community Foundation is a great way to find out the needs of your community.

The Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation is looking for interested individuals to serve as volunteers on their Board of Directors and Marketing Committee.

“These individuals must either work or reside in the Kenora catchment area of the community foundation, and be philanthropic in nature, be part of the community itself, and be interested in building up the community because thats what the Community Foundation is all about,” she said.

The Community Foundation is dedicated to help improve community living and the quality of life for citizens and visitors to Kenora and the Lake of the Woods Region.
The application is available on their website and the deadline to apply is April 24.

For more information
The Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation website
The Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation facebook Executive Director, Darlene MacGillivary says the Community Foundation is a great way to find out the needs of your community.The Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation is looking
Jay Barnard is making his return to Kenora as the executive chef at The Boathouse.Chef Recovery is making the move back to Kenora. Kenora MP visits the Kenora Curling Club, as he helps community groups with accessibility issues.Accessibility was the name of the game at the Kenora Curling Club. The OPP and Treaty Three Police have charged three people with drug related charges.Members of the Kenora OPP Street Crime Unit, the Organized Crime and Enforcement Bureau and the Treaty Three Police Adjudicator, Jane Petroni, works with performer Amy Alcock at the Festival of the Arts.The sounds of the piano drifted throughout Knox United Church yesterday for the second day of the Kenora

GiveBig NRV day gives folks chance to donate to 90 local non-profits – Roanoke Times: Community GiveBig NRV day gives folks chance to donate to 90 local non-profits

Photos by MATT GENTRY | The Roanoke Times

Katie Waldron (center) swings preschool-aged children at the Valley Interfaith Child Care Center off Heather Drive in Blacksburg.

A child plays on equipment at the Valley Interfaith Child Care Center in Blacksburg on Thursday.

MATT GENTRY | The Roanoke Times

Itas nonprofits like this one that will be benefited by the Community Foundation of the New River Valleyas GiveBigNRV Day on April 22.

The second annual giving day put on by the Community Foundation had one goal for 2015 a get bigger.

Last year in the first giving day for the valley, the foundation awarded $5,800 in grants and prizes and helped raise money for 60 local nonprofits.

aItas always been an important goal of ours to give nonprofits additional tools,a she said.

Giving days can also be helpful for small-scale nonprofits that maybe donat have the time or resources to set up a way to take online donations even after the giving day event ends, Wirgau said.

Fisher wrote in an email that before the page was set up, the band had difficulty receiving donations from folks who wanted to give money digitally.

When there are 90 nonprofits, it might be a little overwhelming trying to decide to which one to give money, even if someone is dead-set on helping the New River Valley community monetarily, Wirgau said.

Last year, the Valley Interfaith Child Care Center raised $1,505 from private donations during the giving day.