This is not going to happen overnight! Worth looking into every angle!
There are lots of people worldwide worrying about Small Businesses Financing Your Own Green Recovery.
The foundation of World Economy!
In this post:
Community Development Financial Institution – CDFI
2020 Construction Startup Competition, 26 July 2020 deadline
Fintechs and How Can They Help Small Business?
Green Investment Banks
ENERGISE AFRICA
Crowdfunding
Seed-funded rapid business incubation
Building a business and/or recovery as a Latino entrepreneur
…More Jobs & Money posts listed at the bottom of this one…….
Above image: among other activities Captivating Sponsors Micro-Finance loans in Nepal, Philippines & China
Finance Your Own Green Recovery
The economist Paul Krugman, recently wrote: “For months, both epidemiologists and economists have been trying to tell policymakers and businesses that there was no trade-off between fighting the pandemic and economic growth. That is, if we didn’t get Covid-19 under control, any short-term gains would soon vanish, and we’d find ourselves getting the worst of both worlds — more deaths plus economic stagnation. But that message was ignored, and here we are.“
Hiring Surged In June. Employers Added 4.8 Million Jobs Before New Spike In Infections
Employers added 4.8 million jobs last month, as the U.S. economy continued to slowly bounce back from a deep and painful coronavirus recession. The unemployment rate dipped to 11.1%.
Job growth accelerated from May, when revised figures show employers added 2.7 million jobs.
What’s odd, this time, is that the closely-watched monthly jobs report offers a snapshot of the economy that was already somewhat out of date as soon as it was issued.
The Labor Department report reflects conditions from the middle of June. The COVID-19 outbreak has since been accelerating in many states, which could put the brakes on the nascent economic recovery.
U.S. Added Nearly 5 Million Jobs in June: Live Business Updates
“The virus drives the economics,” said Betsey Stevenson, a member of the Council of Economic Advisers under former President Barack Obama who is now at the University of Michigan. If cases continue to rise as health officials warn, she said, “we’re not going to have people going back to work. In fact, we’re going to see more people staying home.”
We have to look for all the new ways to do Business. The pandemic is giving us the opportunity to re-think and seek new tools. Through-out this post, the articles offer many suggestions and options worth exploring!
Economic Recovery, Green Recovery, any kind of Recovery for us humans on planet Earth, with now 500,000 less people, is going to take everyone’s effort. It will be the Small Business Owners worldwide that will each have to find her/his way to rebuild again. To do this, it is going to take the help of every possible type of financial organization. Not just the traditional ones……
The Fintechs have really helped small businesses in the recent past; not only with funds, but with methods to document what small businesses do. That documentation is going to help a great deal, when it comes to finding money to recover. If you qualify for Fintech use, check the useful information further down about them. However, maybe your small business does not qualify even for Fintechs.
? Have you considered:
#1 – This is a HOT TOPIC!
“Community Development Financial Institutions” or “Microfinance” Organizations
Here is an example from Israel……. Ogen – formerly IFLA – עוגן
Ogen, is already advertising for coronavirus recovery!
Translation: Loans for small businesses up to ILS 200,000.00. At a 3% interest rate, without co-signers and without deposits. From the Ogen Group, non-profit Social Financial Organization. We will help you recover your business after the Coronavirus Crisis or zoom in on growth. Ogen, Life Changing Loans.
A Community Development Financial Institution, abbreviated to CDFI – is a financial institution that provides credit and financial services
to “under-served” businesses, communities and people.
A CDFI may be a community development bank, a community development credit union (CDCU), a community development loan fund (CDLF), a community development venture capital fund (CDVC), a microenterprise development loan fund, or a community development corporation.[1]
In 2015, Standard & Poor’s issued its first ratings assessments of CDFI loan funds.
While the CDFI Fund and its certifications are the USA form of such financing, the UK also has about 70 CDFIs and a trade association, Responsible Finance, formerly known as the Community Development Finance Association (CDFA). The UK government has provided various funding initiatives for CDFIs and credit unions.
Similar Institutions exist around the world, such as Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, though they are not generally called CDFIs, but are described as microfinance institutions or social banks.
For many, microfinance is a way to promote economic development, employment and growth through the support of micro-entrepreneurs and small businesses; for others it is a way for the poor to manage their finances more effectively.
As Small Businesses are the backbone of the world economy, MicroFinance can be considered the backbone of Small businesses.
First appearing in the 1970s, microfinance enables low-income populations, especially those residing in developing countries, to benefit from access to financial services (e.g. loans, savings, insurance, money transfers, financial education, etc.). How does it work? Simply put, donors distribute microloans to support the development of small economic projects, such as an entrepreneurial initiative or the purchase a manufacturing tool. Microloans like these are usually granted by microfinance institutions (MFI).
So, if you can not find a Fintech, or other source for funding….it might be worthwhile finding a microfinance Institution or CDFI in order to fund you green recovery. Microfinance/Microcredit can take many different forms………..
What is Microcredit?
Here is a broad classification of microcredit :
| A) | Traditional informal microcredit (such as, moneylender’s credit, pawn shops, loans from friends and relatives, consumer credit in informal market, etc.) |
| B) | Microcredit based on traditional informal groups |
| C) | Activity-based microcredit through conventional or specialised banks (such as, agricultural credit, livestock credit, fisheries credit, handloom credit, etc.) |
| D) | Rural credit through specialised banks. |
| E) | Cooperative microcredit (cooperative credit, credit union, savings and loan associations, savings banks, etc.) |
| F) | Consumer microcredit. |
| G) | Bank-NGO partnership based microcredit. |
| H) | Grameen type microcredit or Grameen credit. |
| I) | Other types of NGO microcredit. |
| J) | Other types of non-NGO non-collateralized microcredit. |
And From the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, The General features of Grameen credit [or microcredit] are :
| a) | It promotes credit as a human right. |
| b) | Its mission is to help poor families to help themselves overcome poverty. |
| c) | Most distinctive feature of Grameencredit is that it is based on “trust”, not on legal procedures and system, such as colateral. |
| d) | It is offered for creating self-employment for income-generating activities and housing for the poor, as opposed to consumption. |
| e) | It was initiated as a challenge to the conventional banking which rejected the poor by classifying them to be “not creditworthy”. |
| f) | It provides service at the door-step of the poor based on the principle that the people should not go to the bank, bank should go to the people. |
| g) | In order to obtain loans a borrower must join a group of borrowers. |
| h) | New loan becomes available to a borrower if her previous loan is repaid. |
| i) | All loans are to be paid back in instalments (weekly, or bi-weekly). |
| j) | Simultaneously more than one loan can be received by a borrower. |
| k) | It comes with both obligatory and voluntary savings programmes for the borrowers. |
| l) | Grameencredit’s thumb-rule is to keep the interest rate close to market rate, prevailing in commercial banking sector, as possible, without sacrificing sustain-ability. |
| m) | Grameencredit gives high priority on building social capital. |
There are more than 1,100 certified CDFI’s through out USA, of which more than 300 are Opportunity Finance Network members.
Lend Where It Counts – Gaps across America where mainstream finance doesn’t reach or cannot lend. CDFI’s fill these gaps. CDFI’s provide technical assistance and finance to transform neighborhoods by creating jobs, sparking small businesses, building affordable housing, expanding community facilities, supporting quality education, and nurturing consumer health. CDFI Locator
Ensure small business survival during COVID-19 crisis: Fund the CDFI Fund
CDFIs–which exist in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands–are uniquely positioned to assist small businesses across the country without delay.
The Best Kept Secrets of the CDFI Sector
MAY 22, 2019 – Here are the top three things you should know about CDFIs.
1. CDFIs are more diverse that you think
2. CDFIs have staying power
3. The sector needs to get bigger so that CDFIs can be more relevant market actors
If you would like some help searching for a CDFI or MicroFinance funder or a way to Finance Your Own Green Recovery in your region of the world, I would be glad to help you search.
#2 Competition for Startups
There is every chance in the world that you can find a competition that suites your Green Business. If not this year, then next year.
Startups Without Borders creates world-class entrepreneurship events, training programs, and media products, where diversity takes center stage. We’re here to build the startup ecosystem without borders.
Time to strap your boots, sit down, and start scouring the internet for the opportunities that will propel your business to the next level. Take a look, if this is a reasonable option for you.
Business competitions and awards in the UK
There is a range of business competitions and awards open to small and medium-sized businesses in the UK that can provide funding, support, press and much more.
Packaging waste, climate change and other environmental crises demand an urgent and joined up response from the ConsumerPackagedGoods industry. 2020 Submissions closed on 15th May 2020.
Construction industry seeks innovative startups
Construction Startups Competition 2020
26 July, 2020 Deadlline
June 2020 … 5 key players have joined together for the 2020 Construction Startup Competition: CEMEX Ventures, Ferrovial, Hilti, VINCI Group’s Leonard, and NOVA by Saint-Gobain. They not only want to support emerging startups, they want to help promote collaboration in an industry that has been resistant to change for many years.
Submit your project proposal by before July 26, 2020. The winners will be evaluated taking into account the five opportunity areas that the five players have identified within the industry. Have a look at FOCUS!:
>Project design & engineering
>Supply chain management
>Digital solutions for project & jobsite management
>Innovative building materials & construction methods
>Smart & sustainable buildings and cities
The GREEN ALLEY AWARD
Only startups no older than 5 years that are located in Europe can apply for the Green Alley Award. We also accept startups that have not yet incorporated their business.
Your startup stands out? Great! We want to help make your business more visible – and connect you with stakeholders in the industry and startup scene. Out of all applicants, a total of six startups will be invited to our Grand Finale in Berlin April 2021. Five of the six finalists are chosen by our committee, the sixth is nominated by a public voting from a preselected number of startups.
Europe’s first startup prize for the Circular Economy
Will you be the one startup to win and take home the prize money of 25,000 €?
Applications phase September to November 2020
If you would like some help searching for a Competition or another way to Finance Your Own Green Recovery in your region of the world, I would be glad to help you search.
#3 Fintechs
Now more than ever we need Fintechs to lead on “consumer transparency“
March 2020 … Fintech startups have done an amazing job making products available, but making easy access is only half the battle: the next opportunity is to improve users’ lives by making these products responsible.
Like democratic voting itself, financial systems will work best when people are:
Informed. …
Responsible. …
Limited from doing too much self-harm. …
Context-driven in their decision-making. …
Incentive-aligned with financial services providers. …
… Fintechs have a phenomenal opportunity to cement their leadership position as the go-to providers of financial services. By focusing on the long-term health of users, improving their financial literacy, and using guardrails to encourage responsibility, they can democratize access in a way that truly changes people’s lives for the better.
What Are Fintechs and
How Can They Help Small Business?
June 2020 … Dominick Pietrzak, who owns a film-production company in Brooklyn, first tried to apply for a “Paycheck Protection Program loan – P.P.P.” through his bank, Capital One, but they [still] were not taking applications. … That turned out to be a stroke of luck for Mr. Pietrzak. …
[He was referred to] Fundera, a seven-year-old lending platform for small companies. On a Sunday he signed closing documents from Cross River Bank in New Jersey — which he had never heard of — and two days later found the P.P.P. money in his bank account.
“I was a little skeptical with Fundera and Cross River Bank, but I just kept trying and redoing the application and eventually it went through,” Mr. Pietrzak said. “There were some hiccups with the site, but after I did the application a few times, it went through.”
…
What all these companies are counting on is that businesses, forced to do things differently in the crisis, will continue to use fintechs for more of their needs.
39 FINTECH COMPANIES AND STARTUPS TO KEEP IN YOUR BACK POCKET
Thanks to advances in mobile technology, the fintech industry has exploded in the last couple of decades. Check out these fintech companies and startups to keep an eye on in 2020.
Visualizing the 50 Most Innovative Fintech Startups
Fintech, or “financial technology,” has changed the way we use financial services, and the market is only growing.
US Business Only. The Service is currently provided only for Businesses in the United States. If your Business is not located in the United States, please do not create an Account.
[However, this website is full of useful information such as: Business Funding
Introduction to business lending options for small and medium sized businesses.
Table of Contents:
- Business Funding
- Top Questions When Choosing Business Funding
- Traditional Bank Loans
- Business Lines of Credit
- Merchant Cash Advances
- Loans from the Small Business Administration
- Crowdfunding
- Borrowing from friends and family
- Business Grants
- Selling equity
- Invoice factoring
- Invoice financing with Fundbox
- Manage Your Accounts Receivable with Fundbox Pay
I’m a merchant who wants to offer my customers access to net terms. I want to offer my customers access to credit – Give your customers the chance to apply for net terms so they can buy more from you and you get paid right away. Find Out How
#4 Green Investment Banks
Green Banks for Economic Recovery and Climate Mitigation
April 30, 2020 – There is a way to facilitate economic recovery while addressing the climate emergency. The answer lies in green investment banks.
Think what a relief it would be, amid the worst unemployment spell since the Great Depression, to at least not have to worry about paying large electricity bills. That is a benefit enjoyed by families who have solar panels on their roofs that significantly reduce their electricity rates. Connecticut Green Bank’s innovative C-PACE program offered affordable loans to property owners a few years back for energy efficiency improvements, including solar installations. …
…Green bank investments are not limited to renewable energy: they range from electric vehicles and municipal waste to retirement of uncompetitive coal plants, energy efficiency, and many other de-carbonization projects.
Green Banks 101 Green Banks Around the World
For example, Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) lends money at risk-adjusted terms to projects across Australia that help develop or commercialize clean energy technologies. …
In India, Tata Cleantech Capital Limited (TCCL), which calls itself a “non-banking finance company,” uses private funds to create an ecosystem that encourages private investors to come in at scale. …
Mongolia is another example, and the Mongolian Green Finance Corporation (MGFC) is being established as a public-private institution championed by the Mongolia Bankers Association. …
Green banks have the expertise and mandate to unlock private investment for low-carbon development on the scale needed to address the climate emergency.
Bulletin from Madrid: Green Banks, Growing Ambition
December 17, 2019 In New Zealand, where 85 percent of energy is already renewable, the focus of their new green bank New Zealand Green Investment Finance Ltd (NZGIF) is on agriculture, transport, and the built environment. …
It’s a dynamic model, and all of the countries that participated in the event (Brazil, Cambodia, India, Mongolia, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, and Rwanda) highlighted how it can be uniquely molded to their country’s context.
The Growing Green Bank Movement
These 9 countries were just a sample of the 35 nations interested in creating financial institutions built to channel foreign and national climate investment. …
OECD list of green banks from 2015
Green Banks in Developing Countries
Mobilizing funds at an international scale. Africa & Philippines
Coalition for Green Capital partners with national governments, national and multilateral development banks, climate funds, aid agencies and others to form green banks in developing and emerging economies.
Investors: Building Bridges to Capital CGC partners with new and existing green banks around the world to source capital for institutions and projects, and to secure the funds necessary to operate at scale. Take Note : A few examples help illustrate the ways that diverse investor types can each engage with green banks to bring projects to realization.
A membership organization formed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among existing Green Banks, enabling them to share best practices and lessons learned.
GBN Member Transaction Database The information contained in this database (“Information”) has been compiled by the Green Bank Network Secretariat from publicly available information… You can filter your search by: Bank/Institution, transaction year, Country, Target market, technology
Nordic Investment Bank – NIB has allocated EUR 500 million to be invested in green bonds issued by companies or municipalities in the Bank’s member countries. The investments are used to finance projects that are environmentally sustainable and contribute to mitigating climate change. Aggregate amount on 30 November 2019: EUR 131.8 million
Other investment / financing products offer by NIB include:
Loans, Corporate loans, Sovereign loans, Loans to municipalities, Loan programmes, Project and structured finance, Non-member country lending
Green certificate Environmental projects scoring “excellent” or “good” in NIB’s mandate rating and financed with the proceeds of NIB Environmental Bonds are entitled to receive Green Project certificates.
♥ Singapore
The investors in Apeel Sciences, are GIC.
Established in 1981 to manage Singapore’s foreign reserves, GIC (Government of Singapore Investment Corporation ) is a global long-term investor with well over US$100 billion in assets in over 40 countries worldwide. We work to secure Singapore’s financial future by investing across a range of asset classes in the public and private markets. It is our belief that companies with good sustainability practices are likely to perform well financially in the long term. We integrate sustainability considerations holistically into our investment and corporate processes.
In the private markets, we invest in opportunities that have the potential to generate high long-term real returns and the ability to diversify our portfolio.
#5 Ecobank Microfinance
Our customer base consists mainly of traders, smallholder farmers, artisans, drivers, dressmakers, food vendors and people in the agricultural value chain among others. Microfinance serves over 2.2 million customers by offering an array of products including savings, loans, remittances, transfers, and digital financial services.
Product Offering – We offer various products tailored to suit our client base across our various locations. These include: Savings, Micro-Loans, Business Loans, Bill Payments, Rapid Transfer, Transfers & Remittances, Digital Financial Services (Quick – accessed through the USSD code *777#), Advisory Services and Mobile Banking. We also work with international organisations and NGOs to provide access to financial products/services for the unbanked/underbanked.
The Microfinance Organisation – Our pan-African footprint enables over 2million low-income individuals to be supported through our offering to other microfinance institutions. These institutions enjoy a range of banking services to increase their capacity to grow and serve more clients.
Microfinance Affiliate Network
Burkina Faso
Pan-African Microfinance Burkina Faso
Ghana
Pan-African Savings & Loans Limited
Nigeria
Ecobank via Togo
Sierra Leone
Ecobank Microfinance Sierra Leone
Cameroun
Pan-African Savings & Loans Cameroun
If you would like some help searching for a Green Bank or another way to Finance Your Own Green Recovery in your region of the world, I would be glad to search for you.
#6 Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding Websites & Best Practices for Green Businesses
May 30, 2019 – Crowdfunding might be the best option for your green business if:
>You have an intriguing and clear story
>You can tell people why they should contribute money to your green business
>You can explain what you are trying to achieve for society and the environment and how much funding is necessary. the article includes:
Benefits of Crowdfunding
Types of Crowdfunding
Major Crowdfunding Platforms for Green Businesses
Keys to Success
Successful Crowdfunding Examples of Green Businesses
Top 20 crowdfunding platforms of 2021
This article was first published on Feb. 8, 2017, and was updated on Feb. 27, 2018, Feb. 11, 2019, and Feb. 24, 2020, March 4, 2021.
Wondering if crowdfunding platforms might be a boost for your new business venture? Companies that are just starting out sometimes need a financial step up to get things going. This is where crowdfunding can help.
What is crowdfunding?
Top 20 crowdfunding platforms: in some detail
Crowdfund for success
Green Crowdfunding
Could Bridge the Gap for Small Investors
January 8, 2023 – So far, Raise Green has connected investors with 18 “climate solutions” projects that include community solar, electric vehicle charging, and sustainable manufacturing and batteries.
By referring companies to a crowdfunder like Crowdcube, you can help
tackle the challenges facing small businesses – raising finance.
To fuel the next generation of businesses who want to leave a mark on the world.
We were motivated by a post-recession world, where it was harder than ever for ambitious entrepreneurs to raise money to bring their innovative ideas to life and turn their vision into reality.
#7 Knowledge and Innovation Community
We are Europe’s leading climate innovation initiative
EIT Climate-KIC is a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), working to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon economy.
Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), we identify and support innovations that help society mitigate and adapt to climate change. We believe that a decarbonised, sustainable economy is not only necessary to prevent catastrophic climate change, but presents a wealth of opportunities for business and society.
Entrepreneurship Our programmes have supported more than 2,000 start-ups, making the EIT Climate-KIC start-up community one of the largest worldwide.
Seed-funded rapid business incubation
Our unique startup Accelerator programme offers structured business and commercial support to European start-ups in the new climate economy. It is a real-world business school for entrepreneurs transforming great ideas into successful climate-positive businesses.
The Accelerator programme offers coaching, training, technology validation and office space in 21 support locations and 14 EU countries.
Selected start-ups benefit from up to €95,000 in seed funding — financial support with no equity taken — exposure to customers, partners and investors as well as access to an extensive relevant international network.
It appears that this particular programme has no 2022 and onward funding, but as Europe’s leading climate innovation initiative there is a lot to look into on their website: https://www.climate-kic.org/
#8 For the USA, these might be useful ideas for all Minorities.
Building a business as a Latino entrepreneur
Latino business revenue has taken a hit in recent months because of COVID-19. Just two weeks into the pandemic in March 2020, 86 percent of Latino-owned businesses surveyed by the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative said they lost revenue and clients, along with project delays and layoffs.
This guide shares personal experiences from Latino entrepreneurs and explains how to get started if you’re interested in starting your own business.
COVID 19 and Recovery posts:
COVID-19 >>> WE CAN COPE
Our Link To COVID 19 = Shrinking Bio-Diversity
Horrific Disruptive – Economic Opportunity!
How To Finance Your Own “Green” Recovery – 8 Tips For Small Businesses
Have You Been RE-THINKING Your Business?
Recycling Grants/Funding For Waste Plastic
What Makes An Economy Circular? Decompose To New Life !
EMF Accelerating The Circular Economy Transition
All the Job posts above have been updated. You can also find them all in:
Job Vacancies In Green Companies < More Now !
Burned Out? Color Your Future Green! With Planet Earth
What Is A Green Job? Green And Other Colors.
the individual job posts:
Green Recovery – Jobs & Money – Where?
8 Green Companies To Work For With Job Vacancies #2
5+ Green Companies To Work For With Jobs Vacancies #3
12+ Green Companies To Work For With Job Vacancies – Green, Yellow & Blue #4
Another 12+ Green Companies With Job Vacancies – Now – #5
13+ More Green Companies With Job Vacancies NOW #6
10+ More Green Companies With Job Vacancies NOW #7
Another 14+ Green Companies with Job Vacancies NOW #8
16+ Green Companies To Work For – Job Vacancies NOW #9
17+ More Green Companies To Work For – September 2020 #10
Another 14+ Green Companies To Work For – Job Vacancies #11
Now Hiring! Indeed! 15+ Green Companies With Jobs #12