Loans: Workforce Development
Featured Loan: New Orleans Career Center
Crafting thriving futures through workforce development in New Orleans
$500,000 bridge loan (March 2024)
New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) serves as a beacon of opportunity in the heart of New Orleans. NOCC provides high-quality technical education and training for both high school and adult students. They do this by equipping students with the technical skills and training necessary to earn IBCs (industry-based credentials) in high-wage, high-demand healthcare, hospitality, and engineering careers. Since opening in 2017, the NOCC has prepared more than 850 high school students for college and careers. More than 120 adults have earned their PCT (patient care technician) certification and gained immediate employment.
Supported by the Hilton Foundation, NFF’s zero-interest $500,000 bridge loan will help NOCC navigate delays in government funding reimbursements so it can continue investing in programs that foster the educational journeys of even more students.
$250,000 bridge loan (March 2022)
New York City’s 1983 “Bottle Bill” allows people to generate a modest income by collecting and redeeming discarded cans and bottles. Canning is physically demanding, logistically complex, and often emotionally demeaning, yet for many non-English speaking immigrants and unhoused neighbors, it is the only available source of income. SWC helps canners make a living by redeeming returnable cans and paying these New Yorkers the full $0.05 refund per container, as required by law, and up to 20-25% added value for sorted containers, which is not required by law. In addition, SWC’s gardening, composting, and art initiatives facilitate civic engagement and spur economic growth by creating opportunities for canners and community members to gather.
When canners deposit cans and bottles at SWC, the nonprofit pays them immediately. However, SWC occasionally experiences reimbursement delays from distributors, causing cash flow challenges for operations. Financed through NFF’s zero-interest CARE Fund, this loan will help SWC smooth over this cash flow issue, ensuring that it has enough money available to pay rent, staff salaries, and compensate the canners who need that money most. As SWC continues to grow with more than 400 canners now in its community – and millions of cans and bottles recovered each year – it will promote social inclusion, environmental awareness, and economic empowerment.
$250,000 working capital loan (May 2023)
This financing will support Hot Bread Kitchen in smoothing out cash flow gaps as it awaits reimbursement for work performed, particularly as it gets a new apprenticeship program up and running. It will help preserve internal cash reserves and support any working capital needs necessary to hire more staff as their programs continue to expand.
$1.5 million participation in a $4.5 million working capital loan (April 2023)
Nonprofit Finance Fund was one of the investors in First Step Staffing’s expansion into Philadelphia and Los Angeles, and this will be NFF’s fourth loan with First Step.
Partners: The Reinvestment Fund, REDF
$93,000 working capital loan (November 2021)
In looking toward future opportunities to better serve local entrepreneurs and community residents in a post-COVID-19 environment, Mandela Partners developed plans for a community kitchen that would increase the production capacity of current vendors and local food business owners, allow for test kitchen and hands-on workshop opportunities for burgeoning food entrepreneurs, and provide much-needed space for community-building events. Financed through NFF's zero-interest CARE Fund, this loan will be used for renovations and kitchen equipment for the new space – investments that will support Bay Area food entrepreneurs and thriving communities.
$250,000 working capital loan through the Metro Denver Nonprofit Loan Fund (August 2021)
Established in 2014 under the University of Denver, LLI recently spun off into a fully independent nonprofit. This loan will ensure that LLI has a runway of funding in its first few months as a new organization to build out the infrastructure it needs to scale its programs to more individuals and businesses.
$250,000 working capital loan through the Metro Denver Nonprofit Loan Fund (August 2021)
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, WorkLife launched its Small Dollar Loans Program in March 2020 to provide employees of corporate clients with safe and affordable loans for emergency expenses. This loan will allow WorkLife to expand this program, ensuring that even more of the people they support can access cash when they need it at rates they can afford.
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