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Lowcountry Kiva Hub
An Invest Local Initiative
Are you looking for funding
to start or scale your business?
Lowcountry Local First is proud to serve as the Kiva Hub for the Tri-County region, deepening our commitment to equitable access to capital for local entrepreneurs. As a trusted community partner, we identify, endorse and offer support to small business owners who are ready to grow, helping them unlock 0% interest loans through Kiva, a global micro-finance platform. By participating in this social underwriting model, we’re investing in the people and businesses that directly strengthen our local economy.
We know that small, locally owned businesses need capital to get off the ground and grow. While our community benefits from banks, credit unions, and CDFIs, alternative platforms can sometimes be a better first step, unlocking both flexible, affordable capital, and community support for your small business.
Whether you need funding for inventory, marketing, hiring staff, or securing a lease, Lowcountry Local First and our Invest Local Advisory Committee are here to help. From Kiva to other crowdfunding platforms, we believe in the power of community to back entrepreneurs like you and we're here to guide you every step of the way.
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A loan of as little as $25 can change the course for these entrepreneurs.
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Sign UpCheck out other Invest Local participants raising funds on platforms outside of Kiva.
Support
Your Mobile Tutor
Your Mobile Tutor secured $7,000 to wrap a mobile tutoring bus and design a website.
J. Pink Studios
Jameshia is creating a new youth dance studio in North Charleston with her loan of $15,000.
Naturally Geechee
Naturally Geechee successfully funded $4,500 to expand her inventory.
"I am so grateful to you all for making this [loan] happen for me and my brand in less than one week! This means so much to me. You all have made me feel so empowered like I can
do anything!!! A growing business is what all business owners strive for but without
inventory to fulfill customer needs you start to feel overwhelmed. For me it was a shot to my confidence. I know I have some of the best essential luxury products but I was not able
to market effectively because I knew I didn't have the inventory."
- Tremaine “Abenaa” Moore Owner,
Naturally Geechee
Thank you to our Invest Local Advisory Committee Members:
- Brady Quirk-Garvan, Natural Investments
- Julie Hussey, Workshop at Howard Heights
- Herbert L Drayton III, HI Mark Capital
- Dr. Sonja Ogletree Satani, Corporate Cycle Consulting, LLC
-
Shawn Saulsberry, Saulsberry Group
- Victor R. Rivera, First Citizens Bank
- David Lopez, The Huntington National Bank
- Sarah Frick, The Works
- Cheryl Bennett, Audacy Creative Arts Preschool
- Orian Rodriguez, South Atlantic Bank
- Jessica Gongre, South State Bank
- Darcy Mauro, Entrepreneur
- Rich Lorenzo, Encore Bank
- Stephanie Pascarella, Wash With Water
The Invest Local Initiative is made possible in part by a Relentless Challenge grant from the South Carolina Dept of Commerce, Charleston County Economic Development support, and Scott Songer and Stephanie Santos of StrongerWorks. We thank them for helping fuel innovation and economic opportunity right here in the Lowcountry.