The Center for Rural Affairs Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) and the REAP Women’s Business Center have partnered with Alice Dittman and the Lincoln Community Foundation to expand the reach of the Alice’s Integrity Loan Fund (AILF). The purpose of the AILF is to serve women and minorities in Lancaster County as they pursue starting or growing a business.
The new relationship will expand the territory served by the AILF, which now includes Lancaster, Cass, Otoe, Johnson, Gage, Jefferson, Saline, Seward, Butler, Saunders, Platte and Colfax counties. Any loans made in Lincoln will be made through Community Development Resources, and the REAP program will offer the loans to persons located outside of Lincoln in Lancaster County and the additional counties listed.
The REAP Women’s Business Center will have an office at the Lincoln Community Foundation Building, Suite 511. The Women’s Business Center will offer training and technical assistance to persons starting or growing a business along with serving current AILF loan recipients. Applicants are to be evaluated by 4 specific standards: Character, Capacity, Commitment and Capital. Maximum initial loan amount will be $5,000.
For more information on the REAP Women’s Business Center contact Monica Braun at monicab@cfra.org, (402) 643-2673 or (402) 477-0015. More information about REAP and its services can be found at www.cfra.org/reap.