AEDC PROVIDES BRIDGE LOAN AT LAUNCH OF ADK SUGAR SHACK IN SARANAC LAKE

ADK Sugar Shack is opening in downtown Saranac Lake with help from AEDC. Owner Katrina Glynn came to us seeking bridge to cover start-up costs for the candy shop on Broadway, while she awaited reimbursement funding through Franklin County Economic Development Corporation (FCEDC) Harvest Fund.

ADK Sugar Shack will offer handmade candies and chocolates, seasonal treats, custom gift boxes and will showcase maple syrup and other locally sourced products. We love this business for several reasons: it’s family friendly, fills a gap in the market on bustling Broadway in Saranac Lake, and meets a “sweet spot” in deepening our close partnership - with FCEDC.

Congrats to Katrina and the community on a tasty new location! 

Pictured: ADK Sugar Shack Owner Katrina Glynn and Jamie Cecliia of AEDC at Loan Closing

ADIRONDACK DAY IN ALBANY

Each year, AEDC looks forward to the annual spring day when we and many organizations from across all industries of the Adirondacks head to Albany to showcase what makes our region special.

Once again, we enjoyed great discussions and appreciated all the efforts of so many professionals, and legislators, who champion our area of the state and help make our Adirondack home one of the best places in the world. 

Pictured: AEDC Board Member Molly Ryan, Santana Vicencio-LaBarre, AEDC Board Chair Rob Aiken

AEDC WELCOMES NEW BUSINESS ADVISOR: NONPROFIT GROWTH & STRATEGY TO ITS TEAM! 

We are delighted to welcome Erin DeSantis to the new position of Business Advisor for the Nonprofit Growth & Strategy program, a new initiative providing dedicated advisory support to nonprofit organizations throughout the Adirondack region (see article below).

Erin brings more than 15 years of experience helping government, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations communicate their mission, build coalitions, and grow. She has advised boards on long-term planning, counseled small business owners on operations and regulatory challenges, and led multi-stakeholder advocacy campaigns across New York and the Northeast region. Her career includes senior roles at the American Chemistry Council and the National Federation of Independent Business, strategic communications and media outreach consulting for nonprofits, and earlier experience in policy and programs in New York State government and the legislature.

Active in her community, Erin is a member of the Lake Placid Rotary and serves on the board of the AuSable River Valley Business Association, where she leads strategic planning. She holds a Master of Arts in Government from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Hamilton College. She lives in Jay, NY. Erin can be reached at edesantis@adirondackedc.org. 

Welcome aboard to Erin! 

Pictured: Erin DeSantis, AEDC Business Advisor Nonprofit Growth & Strategy

AEDC FUELS GROWTH AT TICONDEROGA’S SUNSHINE LAUNDRY

AEDC worked with Sunshine Laundry in Ticonderoga, providing business counseling and a loan to support their expansion, following Kayla Thompson’s 2024 takeover of the business. AEDC provided a business loan used to purchase additional washer and dryer units, as well as for working capital. 

Since purchasing in 2024, Kayla Thompson has driven steady growth With AEDC’s backing, Sunshine Laundry is poised to continue expanding services to the area.

Sunshine Laundry is one of several Women Owned Businesses Enterprises (WBEs) in the Ticonderoga area to recently receive business counseling and financing through AEDC.

Congratulations to Kayla and her team for the strong work and full steam ahead!

Pictured: Jamie Cecilia with Kayla Thompson, owner of Sunshine Laundry in Ticonderoga, at loan closing

AKWESASNE BUSINESS EXPO

The AEDC team enjoyed connecting with local partners, business owners and potential entrepreneurs at the Akwesasne Business Expo. Jamie Cecilia drew a strong followingf to his presenation on access to small buisness funding.



The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe is an important partner to AEDC, and we always enjoy our time in the community supporting its small business growth. Thank you to the Office of Economic Development and St. Regis Mohawk Tribe colleagues for hosting this super event. 

Pictured: Jamie Cecilia presents on Small Business Funding at the Akwesasne Business Expo 

MOHAWK VALLEY BROWNFIELDS SUMMIT

AEDC was pleased to exhibit at the Mohawk Browfields Summit at Mohawk Valley Community College in Herkimer. This collaborative summit was organized by several power-house economic development partners in the Mohawk Valley.

Our organization received a Brownfields Assessment grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and we have been busy working to launch the program. This collaborative event was the perfect opportunity to launch our EPA Brownfields Assessment grant program, create partnerships, and begin regional conversations. We enjoyed meeting several EPA staff and connecting with leaders. Thank you to all who organized the event!

Pictured: Jamie Cecilia and Victoria Duley at the Mohawk Valley Brownfields Summit.

AEDC LAUNCHES ITS NONPROFIT ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

AEDC has spent decades helping businesses in this region access capital, plan for growth, and build something sustainable. Along the way, it became increasingly clear that the nonprofit organizations doing equally vital work in our communities were navigating similar challenges as businesses, often without this same level of support. The Nonprofit Growth & Strategy program is AEDC's answer to that gap. We were delighted to receive a grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission to launch this program.

In the North Country, nonprofits are economic development. They employ roughly one in five workers in the region and provide the childcare, housing, healthcare, and community anchors that make everyday life possible here and that make the region worth investing in. Under the Nonprofit Growth & Strategy program, these organizations will be able to receive the same quality of business support that AEDC has long provided to small businesses.

The program is built around the core idea of meeting nonprofits where they are. Some organizations are navigating a leadership transition or a funding gap and need focused, one-on-one advising. Others are stable but want to think through earned income strategies or long-range planning.

The Nonprofit Loan Program offers bridge financing for financially stable nonprofits pursuing capital projects, with below-market interest rates, flexible terms, and minimal closing costs. For organizations waiting on grant reimbursements or planning equipment purchases or renovations, this is an important gap to fill.

If you lead a nonprofit in the North Country and see needs such as these outlined as a possible fit, please contact Erin DeSantis to connect, at edesantis@adirondackedc.org or 518-891-5523.

AEDC Launches Year Two of its State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Technical Assistance Program 

Our team is geared up to launch the second year of its SSBCI Technical Assistance Program for small businesses. This program expands our business counseling efforts to help entrepreneurs by providing advising services -and resources and access to small business capital across the seven SSBCI programs. The federal funding is administered by our friends at Empire State Development.

Through the program, AEDC houses its own Small Business Revolving Loan Fund and connects clients to the other loan funds that best fit their needs. The program allows AEDC to provide “micro grants” for businesses covering legal, accounting, book-keeping financial assistance at no cost. In its first year, AEDC served over 200 businesses and we look forward to growing this valuable service for the area’s entrepreneurs.  

Victoria Duley and Santana Vicencio-LaBarre enjoyed the camaraderie and informative sessions at the Adirondack Park Agency Local Planning Forum in Saranac Lake. Thanks to the APA team for putting on this great event!