The Women’s Fund of Southwest Florida receives $20,000 grant from Florida Community Bank

Feb. 26, 2013 - PRLog -- The Women’s Fund of Southwest Florida has received a $20,000 commitment from Florida Community Bank to support BEST – Becoming Economically Successful Together, a pilot program that combines a direct loan and matched savings account program to offer financial support to qualifying women-owned businesses in Southwest Florida. The grant will be paid over a two-year period.

“Florida Community Bank is proud to support The Women’s Fund of Southwest Florida. I am proud to be a partner with this organization as they move forward to assist women in starting or expanding their own business and building their financial assets,” said Kent Ellert, FCB President and CEO.

“We are grateful to Florida Community Bank for their generous gift that will help us move BEST forward,” said Brenda Tate, president of The Women’s Fund of Southwest Florida.

BEST will provide financial services to women-owned businesses and low-moderate income earning women in Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The program will facilitate savings and borrowing in order to purchase assets such as a first home, starting or expanding a small business, and education/training for use in getting a job that brings in livable wages. The Women’s Fund is collaborating with other key organizations in the region to share the critical responsibilities of BEST to achieve collective impact.

The mission of The Women’s Fund of Southwest Florida is to raise money through federal and state grants, and relationships with individual and corporate donors, and employ a strategic grant-making model to fund programs and organizations that address the special, critical needs of women and girls in Southwest Florida. Members of the Women’s Fund of Southwest Florida Board of Directors include Brenda Tate, President; Linda Uhler, Secretary/Treasurer; Lalai Hamric, Vice Chair, Lou Pontius, Chair, Amanda Cross, Director, and G. Helen Athan, Director.

Florida Community Bank is a $3.2 billion company which is the 5th largest independent bank in Florida. Their customers benefit from the strength of a well-capitalized bank, empowered local decision making, innovative products and services and full access to 41 locations across Florida. Equal Housing Lender, Member FDIC. For more information about the Bank visit: www.FloridaCommunityBank.com.

For more information about The Women’s Fund of Southwest Florida visit: http://www.womensfundflorida.org or email contact@womensfundflorida.org. Also, follow The Women’s Fund on facebook.com/floridawomen and on twitter.com/twfofswfl.