Supporting Small Business:
Business Innovation and Resiliency Fund
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by Megan Barber Allende
Chief Executive Officer, The Community Foundation of Mendocino County
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Sheltering-in-place makes us realize how much we rely on the small businesses in our communities. If small businesses are important to you, please consider joining us to help them survive this COVID-19 pandemic.
Micro-businesses (those with fewer than 5 full-time employees) are especially vulnerable, with many operating on monthly or weekly margins.
In addition, when
Mendocino County
businesses
shut down, paychecks for thousands of employees are jeopardized with serious long-term impacts on families, communities, and our local economy.
This is why the Community Foundation has created the Business Innovation and Resiliency Fund: to help these businesses adapt and innovate in the face of the pandemic crisis and beyond.
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Through our new Business Innovation and Resiliency Fund we will partner with West Business Development Center (WBDC), who will make small grants (up to $5,000 each) to licensed, for-profit micro-businesses based in Mendocino County in danger of closing due to loss of income related to the COVID-19 crisis. By partnering with WBDC, and collaborating with the three Chambers of Commerce, these micro-businesses will then work with advisors and in groups to develop tools to help them to look beyond business as usual, and instead pivot to find new ways of doing business in this new marketplace.
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Jim Mayfield, Community Foundation board member and owner of Rainbow Ag, believes, “This local, private effort will send a message that these risk-takers have community support. This support may make the difference in their ability to survive the shutdown. Entrepreneurs are creative and sometimes just a little help will encourage and nurture their good idea. This is truly a neighbor helping neighbor effort.”
Mayfield understands the impact this pandemic can have on our local economy, and has been inspired to become a donor to the new fund. “Private philanthropy and giving back to the community can be strategic by encouraging economic development,” Mayfield tells me. “Our local jobs, income, and tax base are dependent on local small business. Without them we have no community. Many small businesses in Mendocino County will not survive the Covid-19 shutdown but others will benefit from a bit of help. These funds may give them the ability to re-think their business model, or buy that special piece of equipment. Most importantly, it will send a strong message that locals can do good locally.”
We are fortunate to have an anonymous starting gift of $100,000 that we are looking to match. We are thrilled to report that lead matching gifts have been received from the J-Olivanti Fund and the Mayfield Economic Development Fund at the Community Foundation. In addition, gifts from our Ted and Wilma Westman Fund, the Jim and Babbie Mayfield Fund, the Kevin and Bree Klotter Charitable Trust, as well as from Pacific Gas & Electric have started off our fundraising efforts toward our goal of $300,000.
Mendocino County is a community thriving on small businesses, and when COVID-19 hit and we began to shelter-in-place, these mom-and-pop institutions were the first hit. We know the value of supporting our local economy, and we hope that by partnering with WBDC and our generous donors we can help these critical businesses weather the storm. We hope you will join us in our efforts.
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A partnership program between The Community Foundation of Mendocino County and West Business Development Center. In collaboration with the Coast Chamber, Willits Chamber, and the Greater Ukiah Business & Tourism Alliance
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RESOURCES
:
- To learn more about The Community Foundation of Mendocino County's response to COVID-19 please visit www.communityfound.org/COVID19/
- Resources available to the non-profit community can be found on our website HERE.
- Resources available to Individuals and Families can be found on our website HERE.
- To stay apprised of the latest information on the virus, we recommend following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for preventing the spread of the disease. While we still do not know all the facts about COVID-19, the CDC has collected frequently asked questions on their website which may answer many of your questions.
- To stay informed of developments in Mendocino County, we recommend following the County of Mendocino updates.
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Staff
:
Megan Barber Allende, CEO
Carolyn Welch, Controller
Allison Findley, Program Officer
Amy Lutz, Grant Administrator
Michelle Rich, Special Projects Manager
Neil DiBernardo, Administrative Manager
Rose Bell, Project Manager for Mendocino-ROC
and Communications Manager
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The Community Foundation of Mendocino County
204 South Oak Street · Ukiah, CA 95482 · (707) 468-9882
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