ABOUT US

Connect with
Community Futures Entrepreneur Fund

OUR PURPOSE

We spark business opportunities that lead to community stability, growth, and job creation.

OUR VISION

We make business possible for marginalized entrepreneurs.

OUR MISSION

We provide accessible financing to start, grow, or purchase a small business.

Every community deals with its own unique challenges, like making sure the streets and schools are safe, making homes affordable, ensuring clean air and water, and finding ways to make the community more prosperous.

The solution to these challenges lies in something called Community Economic Development, which is a way of working together to make both social and economic goals happen. It’s a framework that’s shaped by the people who live, work, run businesses, and provide services in the community.

Here at Community Futures Entrepreneur Fund, we follow the principles of Community Economic Development by focusing on two main things. First, we help people in our community start and grow their own businesses. Second, we provide businesses with easy access to the money they need to succeed.

Community Development Model

Community Development consists of Economic Functions and Social Functions working together. One organization cannot meet all the needs of these two functions on its own. Community Futures Entrepreneur Fund’s role is to focus on Accessible Credit and Local Ownership as part of the community development process.

chart-lines

Economic

Functions

Social

Functions

We believe local ownership of business creates jobs and spurs economic stimulus. We also believe that local business makes our communities unique, they donate to nonprofit causes, they invest in the community, provide better service, and typically have less impact on the environment.

As well, because the owners live and work in the community, they have a strong interest in the social functions of Community Economic Development and take part in finding community solutions.

The Community Futures Program began through a federal government initiative that was designed in 1986 to lessen the economic disadvantages in rural Canada. The program has evolved through government ministry changes and in 2022, responsibility for the program in British Columbia belongs to Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan). PacifiCan focuses on evolving the economy of BC and supports Community Futures Entrepreneur Fund with financial and advisory support to help PacifiCan with its aims.

CF lending is making a difference!

CF Assisted Firms

Non-Assisted Firms

7.5

%

2.6

%
Employment Growth Rate

Annual compounded: 2010-2015

8.9

%

4.4

%
Sales growth rate

Annual compounded: 2010-2015

68

%

46

%
Business Longevity Rate

5 Year Survival Rate

As you can see, the results of the program are remarkable. Businesses that receive Community Futures support show longer survivability, greater sales growth, and greater payroll growth. This is great for the community and great for increasing tax revenue to the government. Tax revenue that offsets the cost of the Community Futures Program.

So how do we obtain these results? Simply by supplying access to flexible loans for individuals and business that do not qualify at a bank or credit union. And, in many cases, these businesses are owned by underrepresented groups such as youth, Indigenous, people with disabilities, and female.

Testimonials

I cannot say enough about what Community Futures means to me. Their support has allowed me, as a single mother, to bring my dreams to fruition and build a successful business in our community. Without them, I would not be where I am today. The staff at Community Futures have been extremely supportive. They have an outstanding team of professionals that I am so grateful to have on my side. It is not only financial support that they provide – it is a team of people that are really rooting for you to succeed and that means the world. The business counselling and advice that I received was insightful and greatly appreciated. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart to everyone at Community Futures

Sage Aesthetics

I wouldn’t be in business without Community Futures Entrepreneur Fund’s guidance and financial aid. They were very supportive, a wealth of knowledge, providing astute observations and recommendations. Answered all my questions in a timely professional manner, they were an inspiration, motivating me to continue their fine example of small business practices. Gave me the confidence to step forward and claim my dreams. Thank-you!

Misko Djs Top Quality Music

Thank-you Community Futures. We very much enjoyed working with you as you made the process easy and calm in what can be a strenuous time. We definitely feel that you are a partner as you are genuinely interested in our success.

Courtenay Motorsports

When first starting my small retail/interior design business, I approached 3 different banking institutions to acquire start-up financing for my project. Even though my credit was impeccable and I had savings of 30% to put towards the business, I was met with “no chance”, “not likely”, and “we can give you 20% of what you are looking for”. My accountant recommended I speak with Community Futures Entrepreneur Fund to see if we could work together. I had several meetings where we worked through the details of what I was looking for, specifics of my business (from vision to operations), and with that information they put together a spreadsheet of financial projections which I still use today. They were kind, courteous, and as excited about my project as I was. I highly recommend them for anyone looking for financial aid to see their dreams come true! Mine certainly has thanks to them!

Modlux Interiors

Giving people a voice in their future and providing an opportunity helps to realize full potential.

Our support is such a small part to your success, but, we recognize capital is the lifeblood of small business. Without adequate financing a business cannot start or grow. Yet access to capital for small business is scarce. We want to bridge that gap to help businesses with the financing they need.

Our goal for the future is to build a healthy community and we believe investing in local small business brings the goal within reach. The community is better when we have successful local businesses and that is why we treat business better. If you agree, we ask that you support local small business when you can. They are a key part of Community Economic Development and deserve respect for the risk, time, and energy they take to build our communities.