The CoP Advisory Committee Guides CoP Content to Support Nationwide RLF Operators
SEATTLE, Aug. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The National Development Council (NDC) is pleased to announce the EDA sponsored Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Community of Practice (CoP) Advisory Committee. Nine peer leaders from nine states have been selected to share best practices and lead peer-to-peer learning. Their expertise will enhance the capabilities of RLFs in responding to recovery and resilience efforts and directing resources to underserved communities.
"The Economic Development Administration is committed to supporting RLF operators as they meet the needs of their small business communities with meaningful resources," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. "We're delighted to recognize and support the nine operators selected to participate in the RLF Advisory Committee for the new RLF Community of Practice. They represent the type of expertise and dedication to advancing the practice that we are seeking to encourage across the economic development field through our Communities of Practice initiative."
The members were selected from a pool of seventeen applicants and represent diverse experience in the industry. The applications were judged by a panel and were evaluated across multiple factors, including the RLF's performance, its ability to leverage non-EDA capital, and the applicants' skills in leadership and collaboration. To ensure that an array of states are represented, the applicants were grouped within geographic regions. Additionally, the size of the community they serve was considered to ensure that the Advisory Committee members have experience in urban, large cities and smaller, rural areas. The selected applicants received the highest scores within their region and represent a blend of small and large geographies.
"A key component of the RLF Community of Practice (CoP) is to encourage and promote collaboration," said Chuck Depew, Senior Director at NDC. "The Advisory Committee supports this objective by helping guide the CoP content and providing feedback to RLFs through our online forum. We are excited to have an enthusiastic and engaging group of leaders be co-creators of this CoP."
A list of members is below,
Brian Rose, Deputy Director, Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado
Eddie Fitzgerald, CDC Manager, South Central Tennessee Development District
Kelly Davila, Director of Regional Services and Economic Development, South Plains Association of Governments
Matt Koon, Loans Division Director, Three Rivers Planning and Development District
R.T Hamilton Brown, Regional Economic Competitiveness Officer, Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region Corp.
Richard Hunsaker, Executive Director, Region XII Council of Governments
Ryan Richardson, Executive Director, Superior California Economic Development, Inc.
Teresa Miller, Executive Director, Valley Partners, Inc.
Tyler Lewis, Program Lending Officer, Catawba Regional Council of Governments
About CoP
EDA established nine Communities of Practice. The CoPs strengthen America's economic development infrastructure by capturing, organizing, and scaling practices at a national level. This initiative entails a robust schedule of training and professional development programs designed to enable Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) operators to better address the need for flexible, accessible, recovery and growth-oriented small business financing across the country. This Community of Practice will build RLF organizational capacity, increase qualified high-impact deployment rates of RLF funding, and build an effective and sustainable RLF cohort. Learn more here: https://rlf-cop.ndconline.org/welcome/
Media Contact
Allison Kelly, NDC, 1 212-682-1106, [email protected], NDConline.org
SOURCE NDC
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