Citi Community Development Helps Launch Rising Tide Capital Microfinance Platform To Aid Underserved New Jersey Entrepreneurs

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Jan. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Leveraging a $150,000 investment from Citi Community Development Fund, Rising Tide Capital—the Jersey City-based New Jersey microbusiness development nonprofit—is creating the Rising Tide Exchange 2.0, a new online platform to streamline the connection between underserved NJ entrepreneurs and appropriate micro-lenders. The formal announcement of the innovation grant was made as 86 entrepreneurs graduated from Rising Tide Capital's 12-week Community Business Academy. Robert A. (Bob) Annibale, Global Director Citi Microfinance and Community Development, delivered the keynote address.

Rising Tide Capital estimates that 75,000 men and women in New Jersey struggle with financial self-sufficiency because of unemployment, under-employment and the proliferation of low-wage jobs. An estimated 6,400 men and women have turned to entrepreneurship to supplement their incomes but many lack the skills and resources they need to be successful.

Many microbusinesses—those with five employees or less—are struggling to acquire loans. According to Accion, an international microfinance organization, nearly 10.8 million micro-enterprises in the U.S. are not able to acquire loans through traditional means.

"So many of our entrepreneurs cite access to capital as one of their biggest concerns," said Alfa Demmellash, CEO of Rising Tide Capital. "We knew that we needed to get creative, and find a serious partner to help us meet this need. Citi Community Development understands that economic empowerment and job creation depends on financial inclusion."

Said Annibale, "We are excited about the Rising Tide Exchange 2.0 platform, which will speed the connection between qualified borrowers and lenders.   Thousands of women, minorities, immigrants and struggling entrepreneurs who traditionally don't have access to capital will benefit from Rising Tide Capital's vision to broaden the availability of micro-lending in New Jersey."

The process of finding the "right match" is daunting for first-time borrowers, noted Demmellash. "The Rising Tide Exchange 2.0 is a clearinghouse for online entrepreneur business profiles which reflect the criteria of multiple micro-lenders. The platform will provide entrepreneurs with choices and micro-lenders with a steady stream of qualified entrepreneurs."

The initial version of the Exchange platform was launched in 2012, and was also underwritten by Citi Community Development funding.

To date, Rising Tide Capital has graduated more than 560 entrepreneurs from its 12-week Community Business Academy Program. It also supports more than 300 entrepreneurs yearly with follow-up services through its Business Acceleration Services program.

To learn more, visit www.RisingTideExchange.org.

About Citi Community Development

Citi Community Development (CCD) is leading Citi's commitment to achieve economic empowerment and growth for underserved individuals, families and communities by expanding access to financial products and services, and building sustainable business solutions and innovative partnerships. Our focus areas include: commercial and philanthropic funding; innovative financial products and services; and collaborations with institutions that expand access to financial products and services for low-income and underserved communities. For more information, please visit www.citicommunitydevelopment.com.

About Rising Tide Capital

Headquartered in Jersey City, Rising Tide Capital, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded with the mission to empower entrepreneurs to create and grow small businesses that transform lives and communities. The organization's vision is to build a replicable model for high-quality entrepreneurial development services that can be adopted locally in other low-income communities to catalyze social and economic empowerment. Learn more at www.RisingTideCapital.org.

Media Contacts:

Grace Chung
[email protected]
201-432-4316 Ext 110

David Roskin
[email protected]
212-559-4767

SOURCE Rising Tide Capital