Expanding access to capital for Arkansas businesses, homebuyers, and communities.

We are becoming a 501(c)3

Big news for the coalition: CCCA has submitted its paperwork to become an established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This milestone will give us a durable foundation for the work ahead: expanding access to capital, supporting our member CDFIs, and advocating for Arkansas borrowers and communities. It will also open the door to new funding partnerships that will strengthen everything we do. Thank you to everyone who helped us get here.

We are also pleased to introduce our inaugural executive committee: Michael Rivera and Debra Leach with Communities Unlimited, and Phillip Adams with Forge Community Loan Fund.

Let's Give a Warm Welcome to Clearway Credit Union!

We are thrilled to welcome Clearway Credit Union as the newest CCCA member.

"Joining CCCA connects us to lenders across Arkansas who share our mission. The financing gaps we see in our communities are the same ones our fellow members are working to close, and we do that better together than alone." - Pam Garrett, VP of Finance and Human Resources, Clearway Credit Union

CCCA Advocacy

We met with the Arkansas Development Finance Authority to discuss the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and how state implementation choices shape its usefulness for Arkansas projects. Building on that conversation, CCCA will attend the Arkansas Federal Housing Programs Summit hosted by ADFA in Jonesboro this September.

We introduced CCCA to legislators across the state and heard directly about what capital access looks like in their districts. We look forward to serving as a resource for these offices as they weigh capital access policy. Legislators we have met with:

Rep. Alex Holladay
Rep. Jeremiah Moore
Rep. Jay Richardson

We met with Groundwork Arkansas to learn about their strategies for expanding attainable workforce housing beyond Northwest Arkansas as they grow statewide. Their expansion aligns closely with our members' work in rural communities, and we see strong potential for collaboration.

CCCA participated in ALICE Day at the Capitol alongside the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, standing with partners across the state to highlight the financial realities facing Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed households in Arkansas

Check Out our Advocacy 1-Pager

A Path to the Front Door

Merkia Gaston, a 50-year-old single mom of three, spent her entire adult life renting. Often hopping from apartment to apartment, she long felt like the ability to own a home was out of her reach. She had conversations with a handful of banks over the years but always left discouraged. She needed a financial partner to invest a little time in her future, one that would believe in her as much as she believed in herself. After connecting with Southern Bancorp’s mortgage division, she had finally found the partner she was looking for.

Click here to listen to Merkia's downpayment assistance story.

Credit 101

Understanding your personal credit is one of the most important steps you can take toward achieving your financial goals, yet it is often something people hesitate to talk about. Credit feels personal but understanding how it works can help you make informed financial decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and open doors to new opportunities.

On June 9th CCCA partnered with Credit Counseling of Arkansas to provide a virtual "Master Your Credit" training.

In response to positive feedback and a desire to continue the conversation, CCCA added a second session that will engage experienced lenders.

This two-part series will be offered again this fall. Stay tuned for more information.

Hello! I'm Amy

Some of you have already met Amy at recent coalition meetings, and I want to formally introduce myself. I'm Amy Hopper Swan, and I'll be stepping into more of CCCA's day-to-day work.

I've spent my career helping build Arkansas' entrepreneurship and capital access ecosystem, working with founders, funds, universities, and community organizations across the state. What draws me to CCCA is the same thing that drives our members: the belief that viable borrowers in every corner of Arkansas deserve a real path to financing.

Deborah Temple has built a remarkable coalition here and I'm grateful to learn from her during this transition. I look forward to working with each of you.

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