Healthy Food Enterprise Microlending Intermediaries Los Angeles County. Proposal Guidelines

Transcription

1 Healthy Food Enterprise Microlending Intermediaries Los Angeles County Proposal Guidelines I. OVERVIEW The California FreshWorks Fund (FreshWorks) is announcing the availability of $2 million in loan capital, as well as companion grants and technical assistance resources, for qualified intermediaries to support microlending to healthy food enterprises that reach families with small children throughout Los Angeles County. This Food Enterprise Microlending Intermediary (FEMI) program represents a joint investment of the FreshWorks Fund and First 5 LA. Healthy food enterprises include any producer, processor, distributor, or retailer of food inventory that includes a high percentage of perishable or healthy food. Sample uses would include, but are not limited to: small community markets; meat or fish stores; corner or discount stores; take-out restaurants; street vendors; mobile markets; farmers bringing goods to market; value-add processors; produce distributors, food vending machines; CSA networks; or other innovative forms of distribution or retail that focus on healthy food sales. FreshWorks will provide capital to qualified LA County intermediaries who are connected to their communities and capable of providing small bursts of capital to local healthy food entrepreneurs. Our investments are intended to improve the County s capacity to microlend and assist food enterprises as a means of increasing the diversity of healthy food distribution and retail outlets. We are particularly interested in increasing access to healthy foods for working class families with small children ages 0-5. II. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS FreshWorks is seeking to invest in intermediaries who demonstrate the ability to recruit, capitalize, and support a pipeline of healthy food enterprises located in, or delivering healthy food to, underserved communities within LA County. 1

2 We are not seeking a specific type of intermediary. Eligible applicants may be forprofit entities (including but not limited to corporations, lending institutions, cooperatives, LLCs or partnerships), not-for-profit corporations (including but not limited to community development corporations, community development financial institutions, university departments, public health and/or food advocacy organizations), or public entities (including but not limited to counties and cities, public health or economic development departments, school districts, business improvement districts, or other public or quasi-public agencies). FEMI investees must demonstrate experience or interest in healthy food retailing and small business development, as well as capacity to successfully support food entrepreneurs in underserved areas of LA County. An ability to manage capital, assist businesses, and repay debt is required. FEMI investees must have a plan on how to support end-borrowers with direct technical assistance, both for general business consulting and food/retail-specific consulting, in order to increase the likelihood of sustainable business ventures. A network of resources will be made available by FreshWorks for those who do not possess in-house technical assistance capacity. FEMI investees must have a plan to assess end-borrowers for their potential to reach families with young children (ages 0-5). Consulting resources will be made available by FreshWorks for end-borrowers who require assistance in marketing to this customer segment. Intermediaries will be responsible for, and required to report upon, this connectivity as part of a post-program evaluation. III. FUNDING LEVELS FreshWorks seeks to award capital investments from $100,000 to $500,000, in the form of low-interest loans, to qualified applicants. Larger or smaller awards are possible on an exception basis. Capital Investment Terms: Awardees will receive a loan, payable in three (3) to five (5) years, to the CA FreshWorks Fund. Each loan carries a fixed interest rate of 3.25%, which will accrue and be fully paid along with loan principal at maturity. Loan terms will depend upon the targeted borrowers and loan products being offered by intermediaries. Loans are full recourse to the awardee. Upon a finding of good performance, a partial loan forgiveness of 25% of the total capital investment may be issued by FreshWorks. 2

3 Grant Award Terms: Awardees will also receive a restricted companion grant, ranging from 10% to 25% of the total capital investment, at the discretion of FreshWorks. This grant is intended to support the program requirements of technical assistance and connectivity to 0-5 populations. Technical Assistance: Awardees will also have access to a FreshWorks Technical Assistance Fund, specifically capitalized for this program. TA funds will be deployed to support end-users with direct technical assistance. Eligible TA uses include, but are not limited to, general business consulting (business planning, accounting, legal review, marketing) as well as food/retail consulting (food handling, procurement, permitting, etc.). IV. USE OF FUNDS Funds are to be used to finance business startups, expansions or conversions that result in increased healthy food offerings to underserved communities. Funded activities may include, but are not limited to: construction; equipment purchase; inventory purchase; permits and licenses; and working capital. Past a reasonable loan fee and/or rate spread, intermediaries shall not capitalize their internal program costs into end-borrower loans. Intermediary staff costs such as program overhead, in-house consulting, or other administrative costs are not approved uses of loan funds. Should intermediaries choose to deploy the funds as grants or forgiveable loans to end-users, such a use of funds is permitted. Regardless, the loan capital must be repaid by the intermediary to FreshWorks according to the terms of the loan agreement. Applicants are expected to finance enterprises located in, or supplying, underserved areas. These are areas defined as low/moderate income census tracts where there are limited outlets for fresh food, such as supermarkets. Enterprises should also be positioned to sell healthy foods to families with young children. FreshWorks can confirm whether enterprises sit within or serve an underserved area. There is no minimum size of a microloan to an end user. Each award should fund at least two (2) enterprises per $100,000 of loan award. To the extent possible, a pipeline of potential healthy food enterprises should be identified and submitted with an intermediary s proposal. 3

4 V. PROPOSAL FORMAT Applications for this program are due by Friday, January 9, Please include the following in your application: A. Application Cover Letter B. Project Narrative Include a description of past and/or current small business food programs undertaken, applicant s model for deploying capital, and applicant s motivation for focusing on healthy food business enterprises. C. Team Description Provide a brief overview of your agency, partner agencies, and short bios of key staff or consultants who will assist in this effort. Please explain your team s technical capacities for this effort. D. Enterprise Pipeline Submit a list and description of healthy food enterprises who are currently seeking financing from you, or whom you believe will be seeking financing, including business owner information, address, type of business, and track record. If current pipeline is not sufficient to deploy all FEMI funds, also describe what types of food enterprises you intend to target and how you expect to locate and market to them. E. Finance Products and Repayment Plan If relending the FEMI funds, provide a description and terms of all proposed loan products to be funded with the investment. Describe your history and capacity in underwriting and servicing small business loans or grants. If you intend to grant the funds, explain how you intend to fundraise or otherwise repay the investment amount. F. Operating Guidelines and Underwriting Policies and Procedures Provide applicant s current operating guidelines and policies and procedures as related to the underwriting process. G. Technical Assistance & Expected Outcomes Describe how you will provide technical assistance, supportive services, and/or other accountability measures to ensure deployment of capital and delivery of healthy product offerings to underserved communities. Describe expected program outcomes including how you will monitor foods enterprises. H. Connections to Young Children Describe how you will assess enterprise applicants and encourage end-borrowers to market healthy offerings to families with children ages 0-5. I. Financials Applicant should submit three (3) years of past financial statements as well as year-to-date financials. J. Organizational Documents - Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of State of the jurisdiction in which applicant was incorporated, a Certificate of Insurance evidencing the amounts and types of insurance coverage carried by applicant with respect to its business and operations, IRS Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification), and a copy of the letter 4

5 received by applicant from the IRS evidencing applicant s tax-exempt status, if applicable. K. Signature Authorization Form- Complete the Authorization Form provided. This form is required in order to verify signature authority to enter into contractual agreement with the California FreshWorks Fund. Applicants must submit one original form signed in blue ink. Applications should be no more than five (5) pages, exclusive of attachments and any other supporting materials such as pipeline, policies, legal or financial information. VI. AWARDEE REQUIREMENTS All successful awardees must meet the following requirements. 1. Increase access to affordable, nutritious foods in Los Angeles County. 2. Explore ways of connecting healthy foods to families with young children. 3. Repay investment capital and interest at the end of loan term. 4. Collect basic data on enterprise activities, such as food products introduced, targeted customers, and financial performance over time. 5. Submit a final report. VII. SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL Please submit one (1) original and signed copy of your proposal by mail to: California FreshWorks Fund c/o Emerging Markets, Inc N. Orange Drive, Suite 120 Los Angeles, CA Attn: Daniel Tellalian Also, please submit one (1) copy of your proposal in PDF format via to: dtellalian@emergingmarkets.us 5

6 VII. PRE-SUBMITTAL INFORMATION Interested applicants may contact Emerging Markets, Inc. via with basic questions about the program or application process. Primary point of contacts are: Azusena Favela Daniel Tellalian Prior to submittal, there will be two phone Q&A conference calls where responses will be given to any substantive application questions submitted to FreshWorks in advance. For more in-depth queries, there will also be two live pre-submittal meetings, taking place. Calls and meetings are scheduled as follows: Phone Q&A #1 Friday, November 21, am Line Pin # Pre-Submittal Meeting #1 Wednesday, December 3, am-1pm Community Health Councils (South Los Angeles) 3731 Stocker - Suite 201 Los Angeles, CA Pre-Submittal Meeting #2 Tuesday, December 16, am-12pm Community Development Commission 700 W. Main Street Commission Room A Alhambra, CA Phone Q&A #2 Monday, January 5, am Line Pin # General information about the California Freshworks Fund and the FEMI program, as well as digital copies of this RFP, can be found at and 6

7 CALIFORNIA FRESHWORKS FUND Healthy Food Enterprise Microlending Intermediaries Contact Information Organization Name Street Address City and Zip Code Point of Contact Phone Address Federal Tax ID # Type of Entity Date of Formation Requested Amount and Term $ years Loans & Other Financing Currently Outstanding (attach additional sheets if nec.) Creditor: Amount: Purpose: Maturity Date: Agreement and Signature By submitting this application, I affirm that the facts set forth in it are true and complete. I understand that if I am accepted as an awardee, any false statements, omissions, or other misrepresentations made by me on this application may result in immediate disqualification. Name and Title (printed) Signature Date