ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
Karl Dakin
I help you overcome challenges to raising capital. Take advantage of my Motivated Money Method to identify those investor candidates that are most likely to invest. Top expert in fundraising.
RCI Community Funds (RCI) is planning to establish a series of community investment funds to revitalize, catalyze, and impact selected communities. Its goal is to place funding strategically into real estate and local businesses to generate sustainable economic growth for underserved and disinvested communities that have been ‘left behind.’
?Every community has a level of wealth that represents the collective wealth of all of its residents – individuals, businesses, and organizations. We call this the capital of the community. Different people define wealth differently. Some limit it to a financial definition. Others expand it to include matters of spirit and equality.
?Economic sustainability is viewed as a key in successfully rebuilding disinvested communities. Jim Kucher and Stephanie Raible in their book on Social Entrepreneurship: A Practice-Based Approach to Social Innovation , define ‘sustainable’ as “a level of independence and self-sufficiency that enables a community to chart its own path based on its needs and desires.”
?RCI Community Funds plans to raise funding from residents of a community (internal money) and from outside the community (external money). To attract investment, it will offer a rate of return (ROI) – they will be paid back more money than they invested. Without this offer, it is not expected that grants or zero-interest loans will offer sufficient incentive to raise the amount of money needed.
?To offer investors an ROI, a community investment fund must make a profit. It will be necessary for a fund to invest in real estate and local businesses and get back total dollars from rents/leases, sale of properties, loans, revenue shares, and other income great enough to pay all expenses with a remainder that can be distributed to investors. If a fund places money through investments that do not generate a profit, it will not be able to pay investors a return.
?No profits, no returns, no investors, no fund, and no impact.??
SEE OUR NEW WEBSITE
?RCI has established its website – https://www.rcicommunityfunds.com We will be adding to this site and adding information on our work and the work of others who are supporting community investment.?
JOIN OUR GROUP
?We have established a ‘Group’ on LinkedIn as a forum for discussion and sharing information on rebuilding communities - https://www.dhirubhai.net/groups/14502175/ . We invite people who can team with us to become part of our community.?
CALL FOR COLLABORATION
?RCI is currently reaching out to people, organizations, and programs with whom its leadership team has worked to begin building a national collaboration of partners that can develop best funding practices, share knowledge, and accelerate community revitalization.
?Anyone interested in joining in this effort should contact:
Karl Dakin
COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION AT WORK – LARAMIE, WYOMING
?In 2005, Laramie Main Street, a 501(c)3, was formed to work with local businesses, property owners, consumers, local government, district residents, and workforce who believe the heart of the great community lies in a vibrant downtown.? Laramie Main Street is a part of the Wyoming Main Street program under the Wyoming Business Council and is guided by the principles of the National Main Street Program . It meets its goals by following the four-point approach of Main Street, which includes design, organization, economic restructuring, and promotion.
“In Laramie, the downtown district was suffering from vacant buildings and deterioration. The community came together to create a comprehensive downtown plan, which led to the creation of the?Laramie Main Street Alliance. Today, that area is once again thriving.” The Power Of Revitalization And The Role Businesses Can Play , Forbes Magazine, March 7, 2024.
From 2005 to 2003, the programs resulted in:
·?????? 453 renovation projects valued at $17M
·?????? 176 net new businesses opened
领英推荐
·?????? 746.5 net new jobs created
·?????? 65,000 volunteer hours valued at $1.4M
·?????? 55 public improvement projects
·?????? 10 new construction projects valued at $3.7M
·?????? $29.7M in public and private funds invested
?
CALL FOR SUCCESS STORIES
?If you have a success story on community revitalization that you would like to share with others through this newsletter, please contact:
??????????? Karl Dakin
??????????? [email protected] ?
SHOW ON LINKEDIN LIVE
RCI Community Funds presents the Community Revitalization show on Thursdays at 10 am Eastern Time on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook.
THIS MORNING, RCI Community Funds, Benefit LLC presented the Community Revitalization show. Our featured guest was Jim Kucher . An Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Jim teaches social entrepreneurship. Karl Dakin and Stephen Shaff discussed with Jim the challenges of operating a for-profit business as a social enterprise when the cultural expectation is that only nonprofits may engage in activities that result in social impact.
You may see a recording at:
?
?RCI MANAGEMENT TEAM
?RCI is led by Stephen Shaff , Bill Huston , Jeff Dangremond , Aaron Shalom , and Karl Dakin , who collectively hold over 150 years of experience in community engagement, organization, and fundraising. For detailed information on the management team’s background, see here .
?The management team boasts a robust network of experts across various disciplines and leaders experienced in prior community revitalization and economic justice projects. This extensive network acts as a dynamic repository of knowledge, documentation, and financial data, serving as a foundation for the team's strategic planning and execution. Leveraging these connections, the team is uniquely positioned to implement a scalable proposed funding model with precision, drawing on proven strategies and insights from past successes.
?
?
Automating myself out of a job with AI. The future is inevitable—be on the winning side | Angel Investor ?? | Ph.D. (cand.) AI & Cybersecurity
2 个月Taking the for-profit route for social impact? That's a bold move! ??
--
2 个月Thanks for sharing this.
Founder of CrowdMax
2 个月RCI Community Funds, Benefit LLC is leading the charge to bring real, sustainable growth to underserved communities by using strategic investments. We’re not just handing out capital; we’re empowering local businesses and real estate projects to generate lasting economic impact. This approach ensures communities can thrive independently, offering both social and financial returns. The key is simple: invest in ventures that benefit the community and deliver real returns. With our combined expertise, we're building a model that revitalizes neighborhoods while creating wealth and opportunity for everyone involved. Excited to be part of this movement!
I help you overcome challenges to raising capital. Take advantage of my Motivated Money Method to identify those investor candidates that are most likely to invest. Top expert in fundraising.
2 个月What advantages does an economically sustainable social enterprise have over one that is not?