City of Fresno and Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce join forces to expand financing opportunities to small businesses through a Kiva Hub

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As part of Mayor Jerry Dyer’s One Fresno mission to build a more prosperous and inclusive city, the City of Fresno (COF) Mayor’s Office of Economic Development today announced a partnership with the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce (FMBCC) to launch a first-of-its-kind-in-Fresno “microfinancing” platform that will fill a much-needed gap in the city’s lending ecosystem.

Kiva is an internationally renowned nonprofit lending platform that helps small business owners crowdfund 0% loans of $1,000-$15,000. The online platform helps to promote individual business to an international marketplace of lenders who can support the business with a loan of as little as $25.

The launch of the Kiva fund is the product of the City of Fresno’s involvement with the National League of Cities (NLC) City Innovation Ecosystems program, joining 8 other cities across the country that committed this year to promoting inclusive economic development by launching a local Kiva fund. The City recruited the FMBCC as its local partner to launch and operate the fund; the City will serve as a “trustee”, helping to source both matching funds and to identify and “endorse” local entrepreneurs that can benefit from Kiva’s capital.

“We are grateful for the help of the National League of Cities in bringing Kiva to Fresno,” said Mayor Jerry Dyer. “This platform will be an important tool to opening new channels to capital and making One Fresno work for all our small businesses.”

Sarah Adeel, head of Strategic Partnerships for Kiva US, said: “Fresno sets a great model where a local organization works with Kiva, is supported by the government and other local stakeholders like NLC. It’s the most innovative way to offer financial inclusion to their small businesses, especially those rejected by other financial institutions. Together we can help scale the impact through multiple stakeholders focused on solving a problem together, as well as building a strong local lending community – a bank of people.”

By supporting the launch of the fund and the participating businesses, the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development is recognizing the dire need for access to capital of Fresno small businesses, especially those owned by women and people of color. While the Kiva fund in Fresno will be open to all Fresno entrepreneurs, the FMBCC and COF will focus outreach efforts on BIPOC businesses and those operating in Opportunity Zones in recognition of the extraordinary challenges faced in these communities to access capital and Fresno’s historically poor performance in economic inclusion. Opportunity Zones are census tracts identified as underserved due to concentrated levels of poverty.

“One of the key impediments to a thriving small business environment is the health of companies owned by BIPOC business owners. It’s our job to make sure that entrepreneurs in every neighborhood have access to the capital they need to survive and scale their businesses. Fresno’s ethnic chambers of commerce like FMBCC have the closest relationships to the diverse community of entrepreneurs we seek to support,” said Economic Development Director Lupe Perez.

The FMBCC already leads several initiatives to support early business concepts, hands-on back-office support and technical assistance to help existing businesses scale, and a flexible pool of capital to directly address the unique capital challenges for small businesses owned by women and people of color.

FMBCC CEO Tara Lynn Gray was also the workgroup sponsor of the “Betting Big on Small Businesses Owned by Woman and People of Color” strategy included in the portfolio of 19 unique initiatives identified and articulated as part of the Fresno DRIVE Community Investment Plan. Ms. Gray has just been appointed director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate. Dr. Cassandra Little will succeed Gray as the interim CEO of the FMBCC. Richard Keyes is the Capital Access Manager for the FMBCC Kiva Hub.

By working as a trustee of the new Kiva fund to be operated by the FMBCC, the City of Fresno is aligning its One Fresno economic development strategy with the Betting Big initiative.

The Betting Big executive plan reported that employers with fewer than 100 employees account for nearly 40% of total employment in the Fresno region but that existing institutional financial resources are failing to serve BIPOC small businesses.

“When our workgroup wrote the Betting Big proposal, we found that White small business owners account for 65-70% of all firms with paid employees in Fresno despite the fact that Fresno is a majority Black, Latino, and Asian metropolitan region. Black small business owners, for example, account for only 2% of businesses with paid employees, despite Black residents representing nearly triple that share of the overall population,” said Tara Lynn Gray.

The Kiva Hub aims to address this disparity by providing a crowdfunding option to business owners that currently fall through the cracks of the existing lending ecosystem.

The Fresno Kiva Hub will accept its first loan applications in April 2021.

The Fresno Kiva Hub is the third business financing initiative launched by the City of Fresno since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis to support inclusive economic recovery. The Save our Small Businesses program deployed $4,650,000 in working capital grants to businesses with 1-25 employees in 2020.

COF also launched in October an $830,000 Business Recovery Fund for businesses that have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, yet still turned down for traditional financing. The loans are available from $10,000 to $100,000 at low fixed rates and terms from 5-10 years and may be used to rehire employees or to cover the cost of social distancing measures and other public health precautions. The Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) was created last year through CARES Act Recovery Assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA).

All businesses located in the City of Fresno that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are eligible to apply through the Cen Cal Business Finance Group, which is administering the RLF. The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development has focused its promotional efforts on underserved neighborhoods and minority business owners including through outreach efforts conducted with the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation and the Fresno Asian Business Institute and Resource Center.

To date, the city has approved and committed $382,000 in total loans to 6 separate borrowers, representing a total of 193 jobs impacted:

  • Coffeehouse Manufacturer:  Hispanic-owned; downtown Fresno (Broadway/Ventura); 4 jobs
  • Bridal Shop:  Hispanic-owned; SE Fresno (Belmont/Maple); 1 job
  • Elderly Care Facility: Asian-owned; NE Fresno (Shepherd/Maple); 8 jobs
  • Behavioral Health Therapy Business:  Black-owned; downtown Fresno (Merced/O Street); 5 jobs
  • Construction Company: Hispanic-owned; SE Fresno (Clinton/Chestnut); 15-25 jobs (seasonal)
  • Mental Health Service Provider: White-owned; NE Fresno (Shaw/Cedar); 150 jobs

Contact:

Lupe Perez, Director, Mayor’s Office of Economic Development
[email protected]/(559) 621-8371

Rick Keyes, Capital Access Manager, Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce
[email protected]

Sarah Adell, Strategic Partnerships, Kiva US
[email protected]

Founded in 2005 in San Francisco and known as the “missing micro”, the Kiva platform has lent $1.4 billion since inception; it currently provides $2.5 million in loans every week to small businesses in more than 80 countries. The fund boasts a historical repayment rate of 97%. There are currently 34 Kiva hubs operating in the U.S. The Fresno hub will be the fourth in California. https://kiva.org

The Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce (FMBCC) is a membership organization with a global reach advancing the interests of the greater African-American community through the creation of opportunities, advocacy, and business & economic development. FMBCC also provides educational programming for entrepreneurs of all ages that leads to financial responsibility, sustainability, and job growth. https://www.fmbcc.com/

The National League of Cities (NLC) is the voice of America’s cities, towns, and villages, representing more than 200 million people. NLC works to strengthen local leadership, influence federal policy and drive innovative solutions. Its City Innovation Ecosystems program asks city leaders to commit to creating the right policies, programs, and practices to ensure their communities can thrive in the global, innovation-driven economy, and it helps participating cities reach their goals by providing technical assistance, seed funding, and peer learning.

Cen Cal Business Finance Group underwrites and administers lending programs for the Small Business Administration and the City of Fresno. https://cencalfinance.com/city-of-fresno-business-recovery-loan/

Beautify Fresno Announces Great American Cleanup Event with 12 Citywide Locations and Over 800 Volunteers

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Beautify Fresno today announced the 12 projects and locations for its citywide Great American Cleanup taking place on Saturday, April 24, 2021.  They are as follows:

1.     Downtown Fresno – co-hosted by the Downtown Fresno Partnership

            The event will clean up the Brewery District downtown bordered by Tulare, G

            Street, Ventura and L Street and includes the area bordered by Ventura,

            Fulton, Santa Clara and L Street.

2.     Tower District – co-hosted by the Tower District Marketing Committee and Goldstein’s Mortuary & Delicatessen

            The event will clean up the Tower District downtown centered around Olive

            Street and the surrounding business and residential streets between Echo and

            San Pablo.

3.     San Joaquin River at River West – co-hosted by the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust

            The event will clean up the River West area along the San Joaquin River and

            nearby ponds at the Spano River Ranch in North Fresno.

4.     Shaw Avenue Corridor – co-hosted by Support Northwest Fresno and Lifebridge Community Church

            The event will clean up the Shaw Avenue Corridor – both north and south –

            between Golden State Parkway and West Avenue.

5.     Fort Miller area – co-hosted by Fresno Metro Ministry, the Better Blackstone Association, and the Fresno Community Health Improvement Partnership (FCHIP).

            The event will clean up the streets and neighborhoods around Fort Miller

            Middle School between Blackstone and Wishon on the east and west between

            Dakota and Shields on the north and south.

6.     Kings Canyon/Clovis area – co-hosted by New Covenant Community Church

            This event will clean up the lots next to and behind the Vons Supermarket and

            Dollar Tree in Southeast Fresno.

7.     Saint Rest Neighborhood area – co-hosted by Clinica Sierra Vista and Saint Rest Baptist Church

            The event will clean up the streets and neighborhoods around Saint Rest

             Baptist church and do some touch-up work and weeding at the Saint Rest

             Community Plaza between S. Clara Ave. and Elm on the east and west and

             Chester Riggins Ave. and Church Ave, on the north and south.

8.     Roosevelt High School area – co-hosted by Every Neighborhood Partnership

            This event will clean up the area near Roosevelt High School along Tulare Ave.

            between Cedar and Maple, and the neighborhoods and alleys north to the

            Illinois-Bend-McKenzie Avenues border.

9.     Lions Skate Park area – co-hosted by Americorps

            This event will clean up the area around Lions Skate Park along Marks Ave.

            and Rialto Ave., and down the median on Emerson Ave. from Marks to

            Hughes.

10.  Airport District – co-hosted by Air National Guard 144th Fighter Wing

            The event will clean up the industrial area east of Fresno Yosemite

            International Airport along Clovis Ave., Shields Ave., Argyle Ave., and Clinton

            Ave.

11.  Southwest Fresno tree planting – co-hosted by Tree Fresno

            The event will plant 211 trees, funded by CalFire and High Speed Rail, at

            Green Valley Recycling. The site is just off Hwy 99 and the North Ave. exit.

            The facility is located under the newly constructed high-speed rail line, and the

             landscaping will ultimately include nearly 400 trees and other plants.

12.  Graffiti/Trash abatement near McKinley and Hwy 168 – co-hosted by the Fresno City College Fire Academy

            This event will paint over 3,500 sq. ft. of graffiti along a wall at the bottom of the

            highway embankment just southeast of McKinley and Highway 168, along with

            removing trash on the service trail that runs along the bottom of the

            embankment (City graffiti crew will supervise.)

All events will take place simultaneously between 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Participants are invited to an outdoor celebration rally in the H Street parking lot, across from Chukchansi Park, from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. and will include food trucks, music and activities.

Beautify Fresno is hoping to attract over 800 volunteers. Interested volunteers can find out more about each event and sign up by visiting https://www.beautifyfresno.org/great-american-cleanup/. Every volunteer will get a free Beautify Fresno Great American Cleanup t-shirt.

The Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup™ (GAC) is one of the largest community service events in the nation. GAC takes place nationwide during the spring as part of Earth Day celebrations and prompts individuals to take greater responsibility for their local environment by conducting grassroots community service projects that engage volunteers, local businesses, and civic leaders.

Beautify Fresno will follow guidance from our national advisors at Keep America Beautiful, as well as all health and safety protocols from the CDC and the Fresno County Department of Public Health.  Safety vests, paper pickers, gloves and trash bags, along with pre-packaged snacks and bottled water will be provided to volunteers.

Follow Beautify Fresno on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @beautifyfresno or visit our website www.beautifyfresno.org.

FAX Celebrates International Transit Driver Appreciation Day

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As our city shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FAX transit and Handy Ride paratransit bus drivers kept transporting their passengers to work, medical centers, stores, and back home, and continue to do so. Our drivers wake up before the sun rises and work long after the sun has set.

We honor our public servants who faithfully serve thousands of our city’s residents and our essential workers that keep the city running. On Thursday, March 18, 2021, we are celebrating International Transit Driver Appreciation Day.

If you are a FAX or Handy Ride passenger, we hope you will join us in thanking our drivers, as we know they would be most appreciative. If you want to show your appreciation, you can fill out a Driver’s Compliment Form or give them praise on social media. We ask that you include the bus number and the route your driver is operating, or the Handy Ride driver’s name and bus number, so we can ensure that they receive your compliment.

Transit drivers serving others

FAX and Handy Ride drivers work hard to get transit passengers to their destinations safely and on time. To keep Fresnans going:

  1. Our drivers support elderly and disabled riders helping them navigate the City. They lower and raise the wheelchair ramp for passengers that use mobility devices and help secure wheelchairs in place, when needed.
  • Our drivers operate under tight schedules. They not only operate their vehicles with timeliness and safety in mind, but they also inspect their vehicles for cleanliness and mechanical readiness every day.
  • Our drivers start their days early and end their days late, including on weekends and holidays. When others are at home on weekends or celebrating a holiday with family and friends, our drivers continue to transport their passengers to work, school, appointments, stores, and back home again.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, FAX AND HANDY RIDE DRIVERS!!!

For more input, please visit us here.

FAX Temporarily Suspending Fares Starting Monday

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Effective Monday, March 1, 2021, Fresno Area Express (FAX) will provide free rides on its fixed route and Handy Ride paratransit vehicles.

This temporary fare-free service was approved by the Fresno City Council on February 18, 2021 to assist passengers experiencing financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All passengers and bus drivers are required to wear masks. Due to social distancing requirements to help prevent the spread of COVID, seating is limited to 10 passengers per fixed route vehicle and 3 passengers per Handy Ride vehicle.

FAX and Handy Ride will continue disinfecting all vehicles on a nightly basis and expanding sanitizing efforts at major transit hubs around the city.

Further studies to determine the duration of the free rides will be conducted as required by the Federal Transit Administration and at the request of the City Council.

Ride for free, but stay COVID-safe.

RIDE FREE! Starting Monday, March 1, 2021, FAX will temporarily suspend fares.

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Effective Monday, March 1, 2021, FAX and Handy Ride fares are temporarily suspended. FAX and Handy Ride passengers will be able to ride for FREE. Due to social distancing requirements to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, all passengers and bus drivers are required to wear masks, and seating is limited to 10 passengers per fixed route bus and 3 passengers per Handy Ride vehicle. All passengers must disembark from the bus at the end of the line. The ride is on FAX, but remember to stay COVID-safe!

Emergency Rental Assistance Application Process/Regulations under Review

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Dozens of Fresno residents have already inquired about how they can apply for the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program. 

Mayor Jerry Dyer would like the community to know that the City of Fresno received 15.8 million dollars Wednesday from the Treasury Department. This money will help thousands of residents who are struggling to pay their rent and utility bills due to the pandemic.

We are currently reviewing the regulations and parameters set forth by the federal government. These requirements include specific conditions applicants must meet to receive these grants.

We will be working together with the City Council to establish a process to distribute these funds. Our commitment to the community is to get these much-needed grants out as soon as we can – to help our residents stay in their homes.

MLK Day Holiday Schedule for City of Fresno Offices

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City of Fresno offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day on Monday, January 18, 2021.  Normal operations will resume on Tuesday, January 19.  Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports:  Administrative offices closed; Terminal, concessions, and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Business License:  Office closed.  The Business Tax Web Renewal will be available for TOT (only) and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the MLK holiday.

City Clerk’s Office:  Closed.

City Hall Offices:  Closed.

Code Enforcement:  Closed.

Dog License Division:  Closed.

Finance Offices:  Offices closed. 

Fire/Police Departments:  Administrative offices and public counters will be closed.  Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express:  Sunday bus routes/schedule in effect.  Administrative offices remain closed; call (559) 621-7433 for details.  FAX route maps and schedules are available on the City’s website.

Parking Division:  No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on MLK Day.  Office closed for citation payments.  Online services available at www.fresno.gov/parking.

Parks and Recreation (PARCS):  Administrative offices closed.  Woodward and Roeding Parks will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Holiday parking fee of $7 per car will be collected.  All other parks will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Picnic shelters, recreation centers, and the Regional Sports Complex remain closed due to COVID-19.

Personnel:  Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Planning and Development:  Office closed.  Permit applications can be submitted, and progress can be monitored, online through our FAASTER portal at any time during the MLK holiday.

Public Utilities:  Offices closed.

Public Works:  Offices closed.

Purchasing:  Office closed; Bid opportunities and updated information are available on the City’s website, under the “For Businesses” tab, then click on bid opportunities.

Rental Housing:  Closed

Residential Solid Waste:  Administrative offices closed.  Normal residential and commercial collection schedule; for questions regarding residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments:  Payment counters closed (Fresno City Hall and Manchester Center) remain closed due to COVID-19.  Online and phone transactions available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the MLK Day holiday, please call 3-1-1 or use our FresGO mobile app.

New Year’s Holiday Schedule for City of Fresno Offices

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City of Fresno offices will be closed in observance of the New Year’s holiday on Friday, January 1, 2021.  Normal operations will resume on Monday, January 4.  Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports:  Administrative offices closed;  Terminal, concessions and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Business License:  Office closed.  The Business Tax Web Renewal will be available for TOT (only) and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the New Year’s holiday.

City Clerk’s Office:  Closed.

City Hall Offices:  Closed.

Code Enforcement:  Closed.

Dog License Division:  Closed.

Finance Offices:  Offices closed.  Business Tax TOT (only) Web Renewal and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the New Year’s holiday.

Fire/Police Departments:  Administrative offices and public counters will be closed.  Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express:  Sunday bus routes/schedule in effect.  Administrative offices remain closed; call (559) 621-7433 for details.  FAX route maps and schedules are available on the City’s website.

Parking Division:  No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on New Year’s Day.  Office closed for citation payments.  Online services available at www.fresno.gov/parking.

Parks and Recreation (PARCS):  Administrative offices closed.  Woodward and Roeding Parks will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Holiday parking fee of $7 per car will be collected.  All other parks will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Picnic shelters, recreation centers, and the Regional Sports Complex remain closed due to COVID-19.

Personnel:  Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Planning and Development:  Office closed.  Permit applications can be submitted, and progress can be monitored, online through our FAASTER portal at any time during the New Year’s holiday.

Public Utilities:  Offices closed.

Public Works:  Offices closed.

Purchasing:  Office closed; Bid opportunities and updated information are available on the City’s website, under the “For Businesses” tab, then click on bid opportunities.

Rental Housing:  Closed

Residential Solid Waste:  Administrative offices closed.  There will be no collection service on New Year’s Day.  On Saturday, January 2, the regular schedule for Friday trash, recyclables, and green waste collection will be followed.  For questions regarding residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments/Business Tax:  Payment counters closed (Fresno City Hall and Manchester Center) remain closed due to COVID-19.  Online and phone transactions available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the New Year’s holiday, please call 3-1-1 or use our FresGO mobile app.

Christmas Holiday Schedule for City of Fresno Offices

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City of Fresno offices will be closed in observance of the Christmas holiday on Friday, December 25, 2020.  Normal operations will resume on Monday, December 28.  Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports:  Administrative offices closed;  Terminal, concessions and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Business License:  Office closed.  The Business Tax Web Renewal will be available for TOT (only) and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the Christmas holiday.

City Clerk’s Office:  Closed.

City Hall Offices:  Closed.

Code Enforcement:  Closed.

Dog License Division:  Closed.

Finance Offices:  Offices closed.  Business Tax TOT (only) Web Renewal and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the Christmas holiday.

Fire/Police Departments:  Administrative offices and public counters will be closed.  Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express:  Administrative offices closed.  FAX service is closed on Christmas Day but will resume service on Saturday, December 26.  Administrative offices remain closed; call (559) 621-7433 for details.  FAX route maps and schedules are available on the City’s website.

Parking Division:  No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on Christmas Day.  Office closed for citation payments.  Online services available at www.fresno.gov/parking.

Parks and Recreation (PARCS):  Administrative offices closed.  Woodward and Roeding Parks will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Holiday parking fee of $7 per car will be collected.  All other parks will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Field and park lights are turned off at 5:00 p.m.  Picnic shelters, recreation centers, and the Regional Sports Complex remain closed due to COVID-19.

Personnel:  Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Planning and Development:  Office closed.  Permit applications can be submitted, and progress can be monitored, online through our FAASTER portal at any time during the Christmas holiday.

Public Utilities:  Offices closed.

Public Works:  Offices closed.

Purchasing:  Office closed; Bid opportunities and updated information are available on the City’s website, under the “For Businesses” tab, then click on bid opportunities.

Rental Housing:  Closed

Residential Solid Waste:  Administrative offices closed.  There will be no collection service on Christmas Day.  On Saturday, December 26, the regular schedule for Friday trash, recyclables, and green waste collection will be followed.  For questions regarding residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments/Business Tax:  Payment counters closed (Fresno City Hall and Manchester Center) remain closed due to COVID-19.  Online and phone transactions available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the Christmas holiday, please call 3-1-1 or use our FresGO mobile