Community First Fund actively advocates for legislation that benefits small business and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). Through the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Community First Fund President Dan Betancourt has testified several times before Congress in support of the Small Business Administration. Joan Brodhead, Senior Vice President and Director of the Women’s Business Center at Community First Fund, presented to the House Committee on Small Business at a Field Hearing on challenges facing women small business owners. In 2007 Daniel Betancourt authored an article that was featured, “The NEXT American Opportunity: Good Policies for a Great America” compiled by the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), a national network of high performing CDFIs. This book was published in September 2008 and hand-delivered to every member of Congress. |
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Small Cities StrategyCommunity First Fund’s Small Cities Strategy advocates for the reduction of poverty in small cities and urbanized towns in its market. This strategy is designed to create opportunities for building wealth in lower income communities; to support entrepreneurship and the creation of jobs to bolster the economy in cities; to increase the availability of quality, affordable housing and mixed income housing in cities and to support nonprofit organizations which provide life enhancing community services for local residents. The below article, Small Cities, Micropolitan Communities & Suburban Clusters, provides a small glimpse into Community First’s Small Cities Strategy. The full white paper will be available soon. For more information about Small Cities, email development@commfirstfund.org. Small Cities, Micropolitan Communities & Suburban Clusters, Sandra Kerr, Ed., The Next American Opportunity: Good Policies for a Great America, Opportunity Finance Network (2008) Other AdvocacyChallenges Facing Women Small Business Owners, Joan Brodhead, Field Hearing statement presented to the House Committee on Small Business (2007) National Advocacy Links: |
