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2023 SSBCI Learning Series
February 16, April 27, June 22, August 24, October 19, 2023
2:00 - 4:00 PM Eastern

Register Today

-Overview

CDFA has launched the 2023 SSBCI Learning Series to help you stay informed and navigate the implementation and operations of State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) capital and technical assistance programs.

This is the third SSBCI Learning Series hosted by CDFA since the SSBCI program was enacted in 2021. The learning series is focused on strengthening understanding of the SSBCI rules, supporting efforts to design effective programs, and providing strategies to help reach hard-to-serve businesses. During the 2023 SSBCI Learning Series, CDFA will elevate those conversations as well as host sessions geared toward successfully implementing new SSBCI programs and financial products, reaching targeted small businesses and business sectors, and effective program reporting and compliance strategies.

The SSBCI Learning Series comprises five sessions spanning from February - October 2023. Sessions will include expert and practitioner insights on the following areas of focus:

  • State and Territory Capital Program Implementation
  • Tribal Government Capital Program Implementation
  • Reporting, Compliance, and Oversight
  • National Best Practices
  • New Financing Approaches and Products
  • Lender or Investor Capital Risk Mitigation
  • Strategies for Marketing and Outreach
  • Technical Assistance Grant Program Implementation
  • Program Modifications
  • SEDI-Owned Business Efforts
  • Minimum National Customer Protection Standards
  • Legislative Action


Plus, CDFA will share the latest updates on SSBCI program announcements, updates, and events at the beginning of each session.
Sessions will be held from 2:00 - 4:00 PM Eastern on the following dates: 

  • February 16, 2023 – Compliance: Program Reporting Requirements
  • April 27, 2023 – Insights on SSBCI 2.0 Program Implementation
  • June 22, 2023 – Emerging Models and Best Practices for Delivering Technical Assistance
  • August 24, 2023 – Enhanced Efforts to Engage and Support SEDI-Owned Business
  • October 19, 2023 – SSBCI Program Modifications and Evaluations


Attendees have the option to register for one session or the full series. Significant discounts are available for CDFA member organizations, and those who register for the full series.

Register for the SSBCI Learning Series today, and learn more about joining CDFA.

Register

Course Objectives

  • Learn to support small businesses
  • Inform implementation of SSBCI 2.0
  • Hear best practices from experts
  • Help develop resources and tools that states need
  • Get insight into successful strategies
  • Participate in networking

Topics Covered

  • Program Design and Administration
  • SSBCI Technical Assistance
  • Serving Priority Businesses
  • Private Financing
  • SSBCI Programs Deep-Dive
  • Tribal Governments

Who Should Attend?

  • State Small Business Program Managers
  • Economic Development Professionals
  • Community Development Practitioners
  • Government and Nonprofit Finance Officers
  • Development Finance Agencies
  • Banks and CDFIs
  • Tribal Governments

Course Advisor

Rachel Reilly Rachel Reilly
Council of Development Finance Agencies
Senior Advisor
Rachel Reilly is the Founder of Aces & Archers, a strategic advisory and consulting firm focused on addressing socioeconomic inequality by reimagining traditional models for economic growth and private investing. Rachel previously served as the... (More)

-Agenda

Thursday, February 16, 2023

Thu 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Compliance: Program Reporting Requirements
Reporting and compliance has become more complicated given the increased amount of program funding, new data elements that must be tracked and reported, and the incorporation of new program partners. During this session, speakers will cover the following topics:

Process and Systems for Maintaining Program Compliance
Speakers will share their insights for maintaining program compliance and the system they will use to do so.

Resources for Compliance and Reporting
Speakers will share template documents and additional resources that can be integrated into your SSBCI 2.0 workflow.

Expanding Transparency through Data insights
Speakers will discuss the merit of collecting additional or disaggregated data beyond what is currently required by Treasury and how to use that information to create more transparency around progress toward targeted program outcomes.
Moderator(s)
  • Rachel Reilly, Senior Advisor, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Speaker(s)

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Thu 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Insights on SSBCI 2.0 Program Implementation
State of SSBCI Program Implementation and Funding
2:00 - 2:30 PM (ET)
This session will provide an overview of major implementation benchmarks to date, as well as program components that remain forthcoming. We will also share details on national capacity-building and peer-learning efforts designed to support SSBCI stakeholders.

The First 90 Days
2:30 - 3:00 PM (ET)
SSBCI programs must be operational within 90 days after Treasury's approval of SSBCI strategies. During this session, speakers will discuss the process of program implementation as well as solutions that have been applied to address challenges.

Implementation Tools and Strategies
3:00 - 3:30 PM (ET)
From compliance frameworks to template documents, this session will feature tools that you can tailor and utilize to stand up your SSBCI programs.

Outreach and Engagement
3:30 - 4:00 PM (ET)
During this session, we will share strategies for working with your partners and stakeholders within your small business ecosystem to spread the word about available funding.

Moderator(s)
  • Rachel Reilly, Senior Advisor, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Speaker(s)
  • Armeer Kenchen, Executive Director, North Carolina Rural Center
  • Antonella Packard, Director of the Utah Small Business Credit Initiative (USBCI), Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity
  • Amber Westendorp, Capital Project & Portfolio Manager, Michigan Economic Development Corporation

Thursday, June 22, 2023

Thu 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Emerging Models and Best Practices for Delivering Technical Assistance
The U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) initially was authorized to deploy $500 million in Technical Assistance (TA) grants through the State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0 program (SSBCI). This funding is meant to provide micro-enterprises and businesses owned or controlled by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI businesses) with the legal, accounting, and financial advisory services needed to prepare applications for government-supported small business financing programs, including SSBCI. To date, Treasury has allocated $200 million in potential funding to states, U.S. Territories, and Tribal Governments, and another $100 million to the Minority Business Development Agency for its Capital Readiness Program. An additional $50 million in TA funding , down from $200 million as a result of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023's rescissions, remains to be allocated by Treasury.

During the third module of the 2023 SSBCI Learning Series, speakers will provide insights on best practices for delivering TA to micro-enterprises and SEDI businesses and discuss current efforts to deploy funding made available through Treasury’s SSBCI Technical Assistance Grant Program. CDFA will also provide an overview of Treasury’s implementation of the first $300 million in TA funding, as well as an update on how the Fiscal Responsibility Act's rescissions will impact the remaining TA grant funds going forward.

The State of SSBCI Technical Assistance Funding
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET
This session will provide an overview of Treasury’s progress to allocate and deploy $350 million in Technical Assistance funding authorized through the State Small Business Credit Initiative 2.0 program. We will discuss the status of the $200 million TA Grant Program and the $100 million Capital Readiness Program, and provide an outlook for the balance of TA funding that remains unobligated.

Implementation of the SSBCI TA Grant Program
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM ET
During this session, SSBCI program managers will discuss their strategies deploying funding through the TA Grant Program. Speakers will also provide insights on their process for identifying TA services providers and how those providers will be connecting small business clients to financing opportunities.

Best Practices for Delivering TA to Micro-enterprises and SEDI Businesses
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Technical assistance funding is meant to provide micro-enterprises and businesses owned or controlled by Socially and Economically Individuals (SEDI businesses) with the legal, accounting, and financial advisory services needed to prepare applications for government-supported small business financing programs, including SSBCI. During this session, speakers will provide insights on the TA needs of micro-enterprise and SEDI Businesses, as well as best practices for engaging businesses and delivering these services.

Moderator(s)
  • Rachel Reilly, Senior Advisor, Council of Development Finance Agencies
  • Mitchell Smith, Director, Government & External Affairs, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Speaker(s)
  • William Cummins, Executive State Director, Alabama Small Business Development Center
  • Thomas Eveland, Founder, SBC Small Business Consulting, LLC
  • Ron Kelly, Outreach Lead, SSBCI, U.S. Department of the Treasury
  • Selena Skorman, Director of Entrepreneurship Policy and Partnerships, gener8tor
  • Sue Taylor, Development Director, Native American Development Corporation

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Thu 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Enhanced Efforts to Engage and Support SEDI-Owned Business
SSBCI Programs Designed to Meet the Needs of SEDI Businesses
The SSBCI Program set-asides for businesses that are owned or led by Socially or Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI) were put in place to expand access to capital for historically overlooked small businesses. During this session, speakers will discuss the different considerations for designing a small business financing product that is tailored to meet the unique needs of SEDI businesses.

Strategies for Engaging and Serving SEDI Businesses
SSBCI Program leaders are implementing new strategies in order to engage and serve SEDI businesses. Speakers will discuss outreach strategies and operational functions that can be implemented in order to ensure small business financing programs are accessible for all small business owners.

Putting It All Together - Meeting and Exceeding Your SEDI Goals
Speakers will provide insights on approaches for engaging SEDI businesses, deploying capital to these businesses, and securing the information they need for reporting and compliance.
Moderator(s)
  • Rachel Reilly, Senior Advisor, Council of Development Finance Agencies
  • Mitchell Smith, Director, Government & External Affairs, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Speaker(s)
  • Jennifer Cummings, Director of Business Programs, Finance Authority of Maine
  • Brett Doney, President & Chief Executive Officer, Great Falls Development Authority
  • Mary Louk, Programs Manager, Grow America
  • Leonard Murray, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Zion Consulting Group
  • Janet Perez Shensky, Senior Managing Director, Strategic Partnerships, Lendistry
  • Lamont Price, Innovation Director, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
  • Steve Radley, Chief Executive Officer, NetWork Kansas
  • Kelvin Taylor, Managing Partner, Rising Analytics

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Thu 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Year-End Topics for SSBCI
Accessing the Capital Readiness Program
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM ET
On August 4, 2023, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) announced 43 winners of the Capital Readiness Program (CRP), a $125 million technical assistance program funded by the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) to help minority and other underserved entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses. Specifically, the CRP is intended to help close gaps in entrepreneurial opportunities and unleash a new era of business growth by using service models that include early-stage technical assistance and incubators to launch new businesses, products, or services.

During this session, speakers from CRP awardees will highlight their programs and how individuals and organizations located in their service area can access the range of technical assistance services provided by those awardees.

SSBCI Program Modifications
2:45 PM - 3:15 PM ET
As jurisdictions implement their SSBCI programs, some may need to make modifications based on market conditions, product demand, or other factors. During this session, we will discuss the scenario for which program modifications may be necessary as well as the process for getting modifications approved by Treasury.

Venture Capital Programs from Across the Nation
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM ET
The number of jurisdictions offering Venture Capital Programs (VCPs) increased during SSBCI 2.0. During this session, speakers will provide insights into the operations of their VCPs, strategies for building a pipeline of deals, and examples of small businesses that have received capital through their program.

Moderator(s)
  • Rachel Reilly, Senior Advisor, Council of Development Finance Agencies
  • Mitchell Smith, Director, Government & External Affairs, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Speaker(s)
  • Tahda Ahtone, Executive Director and Principal Attorney, Jack Rabbit Development, LLC
  • Samantha Asker, Outreach Manager, U.S. Department of the Treasury
  • Kaaren-Lyn Graves, Executive Director, NABEDC/Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
  • John Kingery, Program Consultant, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
  • Tom Weithman, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director, Virginia Venture Partners

-Location


The SSBCI Learning Series will be held online via Zoom at 2:00-4:00 PM Eastern on February 16, April 27, June 22, August 24, and October 19, 2023.

Attendees who have registered for the SSBCI Learning Series will receive login information prior to each event. You must have access to a computer or phone to attend the sessions.

Sessions will be recorded and placed online for registered participants to access afterward. Attendees who miss a session will still receive the online recording. Participants who purchase access to the series will also get access to recordings of past sessions.

-Registration

CDFA has provided two options for registering for the SSBCI Learning Series.

Individual Sessions

CDFA Members: $250
Non-Members: $325

Full Series
Participants can register for the full series and receive a significant discount:

CDFA Members: $800
Non-Members: $1100

These events will be recorded and archived for future access. Only attendees who purchase either an individual session or the full series will have access to the online recordings.

Group Rates
Groups of 5 or more attendees from the same organization will receive a 50% discount off the price of each registration. Contact CDFA for more information.

Register