What does it mean to be rooted in growth? For the 29 entrepreneurs who recently received capacity-building grants totaling $100,000 from the Community Loan Fund, the answers are as diverse as their businesses.
“The C-DEE accelerator grants recognize that small business owners are already rooted — they just need the right conditions to grow,” said Latonya Wallace, director of small business engagement at the Community Loan Fund. “This program doesn’t remove every barrier, but it removes one at the moment it truly matters.”
The event also included a panel discussion featuring local business owners Nicole Sublette, Lilliana Alvarado, and Lionel Loveless. All are members of the C-DEE advisory council, which selects grant recipients each year. Awardees receive up to $5,000 to be used for computer hardware and software, and professional services, such as bookkeeping and digital marketing.
Rooted in growth means valuing “vulnerability,” “sustainability,” or “adaptability,” to name a few of the ideas shared at the award ceremony on May 19.
The recipients, including a family farm, community movement studio, village store, and upcycled home décor business, employ 150 people across 11 industries in all 10 New Hampshire counties.
Thanks to our supporters, sponsors, and partners, Community-Driven Economic Empowerment (C-DEE) helps small business owners from across New Hampshire become financially self-sufficient with grant funding and technical assistance.
Lilliana, founder of UPHEALING, an interior design firm based in Bedford, shared her entrepreneurship journey rooted in passion and knowledge with the audience.
“We all start with a passion project,” she said. “I think you also need knowledge and you also need a great network...
“This program gives us access to more than just a financial stipend — it’s really access to meeting other people like you .... [and] understanding other aspects of the business.”
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lilliana’s business faced significant challenges.
“I was one of those few businesses that didn’t really have the loan capabilities during COVID,” she said. “I ended up making $4,900 for the entire year.”
Then, she learned about C-DEE and applied for a grant to support new software and equipment to grow UPHEALING.
“I bounced back and I’m very grateful for that,” she said. “It’s really rewarding to be able to help others like I was helped when this program started.”
Launched in 2023, C-DEE draws on the Community Loan Fund’s experience connecting local businesses with the financing and coaching they need to thrive. Since then, C-DEE has awarded $330,000 in funding to 115 small business owners and provided 157 entrepreneurs with technical assistance.
C-DEE is a partnership of the Community Loan Fund and the Business Alliance for People of Color. The Small Business Development Center provides no-cost coaching to all the applicants and Sheehan Phinney offers legal services to select awardees on a pro-bono basis.