GROW AMERICA FUND INC
ONE BATTERY PARK PLAZA NO 710, NEW YORK, NY 10004 www.growamericafund.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE GROW AMERICA FUND, INC. ("GAF") HAS A PRIMARY MISSION TO CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, STIMULATE INVESTMENT, AND TO ENCOURAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES BY FINANCING BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS THAT INVEST IN THOSE DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, AND/OR CREATE JOBS FOR LOW-INCOME UNEMPLOYED AND UNDER-EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS. GAF, A LICENSED U.S. SBA SMALL BUSINESS LENDING COMPANY, AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CERTIFIED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, PROVIDES ACCESS TO CAPITAL FOR BUSINESS EXPANSION STRUCTURED WITH LONGER AMORTIZATION TERMS AND LOWER INTEREST RATES. THESE LENDING TERMS SERVE TO DECREASE DEBT SERVICE COSTS AND IMPROVE THE BORROWER'S OPERATING CASH FLOW, GIVING BUSINESSES A FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE THAT HELPS STRENGTHEN BOTH THE ECONOMIC BASE OF THE BUSINESS, AND THE COMMUNITY.

GAF PROVIDES LONGER TERM, LOWER INTEREST RATE SMALL BUSINESS LOANS THAT ENABLE SMALL BUSINESSES TO CREATE JOBS, STIMULATE INVESTMENT, AND EXPAND THE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND SMALL BUSINESS BASE IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES. GAF HAS ASSISTED MORE THAN 641 SMALL BUSINESSES OWNED BY INDIVIDUALS PREVIOUSLY LACKING ACCESS TO APPROPRIATELY STRUCTURED FINANCING. SEVENTY-ONE PERCENT OF OUR LOANS HAVE BEEN MADE IN CDFI-ELIGIBLE CENSUS TRACTS OR TO MINORITY BORROWERS. GAF NOT ONLY PROVIDES LOANS WITH FAVORABLE BELOW MARKET TERMS BUT ALSO PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS COUNSELING AT APPLICATION AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE ENTIRE TERM OF THE LOAN. LOANS MADE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM TOTAL OVER $336 MILLION. EACH LOAN IS STRUCTURED TO FIT THE FINANCING NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS AND CARRY BELOW MARKET RATES AND TERMS. TO ASSIST THE BORROWER, GAF CAPS CLOSING COSTS AND PROVIDES BUSINESS COUNSELING AT NO COST TO THE SMALL BUSINESSES. GAF LENDS IN DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES IN AN ELEVEN-STATE MARKET WHERE THE POVERTY LEVEL IS DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. ADDITIONALLY, GAF OPERATES ITS SMALL BUSINESS-LENDING PROGRAM IN FIVE OF THE TEN MOST DISTRESSED CITIES IN AMERICA. CLEVELAND OHIO, BUFFALO NEW YORK, NEWARK NEW JERSEY, CINCINNATI OHIO AND SAN BERNARDINO CALIFORNIA, HAVE DISTRESS RATINGS RANGING FROM 93.6 TO 99.9 OUT OF 100 ACCORDING TO THE ECONOMIC INNOVATION GROUP DISTRESSED COMMUNITY INDEX. BUSINESSES RECEIVING FINANCING FROM GAF HAVE CREATED AND/OR RETAINED OVER 16,000 JOBS, AND 11,500 OF THOSE JOBS ARE CONSIDERED FILLED BY LOW AND MODERATE-INCOME INDIVIDUALS. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, GAF HAS RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNITION FROM A VARIETY OF INSTITUTIONS:- THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION HAS ACKNOWLEDGED GAF AS A MISSION-BASED LENDER FOR CARRYING OUT OUR MISSION TO MAKE CREDIT AVAILABLE TO DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES AND HELPING THOSE BUSINESSES TO SUCCEED THROUGH OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. GAF IS AN SBA PREFERRED LENDER. - IN RECOGNITION OF OUR WORK, THE CDFI FUND AWARDED OUR LOAN FUND MORE THAN $8 MILLION IN GRANTS TO CARRY OUT OUR MISSION.- JPMORGAN CHASE MADE A $7 MILLION GRANT TO A CONSORTIUM OF SMALL BUSINESS LENDERS WORKING WITH DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES IN CHASE'S COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AREAS. GAF IS A MEMBER OF THE LENDING CONSORTIUM AND RECEIVED $2.3 MILLION OF THE $7 MILLION GRANT.- JP MORGAN CHASE, PNC BANK AND DISCOVER BANK SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS BY MAKING VERY LOW INTEREST LOANS AND GRANTS AVAILABLE TO US TO CARRY OUT OUR MISSION IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND WITH DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES.- THE LONGWOOD FOUNDATION, GREATER TACOMA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND THE SEATTLE FOUNDATION HAVE MADE GRANTS AND PROGRAM RELATED INVESTMENTS (PRIS) AND GRANTS TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS LOAN FUND TOTALING MORE THAN $4.5 MILLION. BELOW ARE EXAMPLES OF DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES THAT GAF'S SMALL BUSINESS LOAN FUND HAS RECENTLY ASSISTED:MIDDLE BAR: MIDDLEBAR IS A BOUTIQUE BEVERAGE COMPANY WITH A LINE OF CRAFT COCKTAIL MIXERS AND ACCOUTREMENTS FOR THE HOME AND PROFESSIONAL MIXOLOGIST. THE COMPANY'S BRICK AND MORTAR LOCATION IS MIDDLEBAR ON MARKET LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC CORE OF DOWNTOWN INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA. IT IS THE MIDDLEBAR PRODUCTION HEADQUARTERS FOR THEIR BAR LINE AS WELL AS THE BEAUTIFUL BACKDROP FOR LA'S BEST NEW JAZZ SPOT. THEY CURRENTLY OFFER LIVE MUSIC JAZZ BRUNCHES ON THE WEEKENDS AND ALSO HOST PRIVATE PARTIES, CORPORATE GATHERINGS, TELEVISION SHOOTS AND SPECIAL MUSICAL EVENTS.GAF PROVIDED A LOAN OF $150,000 TO FUND PERMANENT WORKING CAPITAL TO ASSIST THE COMPANY WITH ITS INVENTORY PURCHASES. COUNTERMEASURES: AFRICAN AMERICAN OWNED COUNTERMEASURES ASSESSMENT SECURITY EXPERTS, LLC (CASE), LOCATED IN NEW CASTLE, DE IS A TRANSPORTATION SECURITY CONSULTING BUSINESS IN OPERATION SINCE 2014. THE COMPANY HAS VARIOUS CONTRACTS WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. GAF PROVIDED A LOAN OF $300,000 TO REFINANCE DEBT SAVING THE COMPANY OVER $36,000 A YEAR IN DEBT PAYMENTS AND PROVIDE PERMANENT WORKING CAPITAL. CUTOM PC COMPUTERS: CUSTOM-PC COMPUTERS LLC DBA ALLPRO TECHNOLOGIES (SBC) WAS FOUNDED IN 2002. THE BUSINESS STARTED OUT PROVIDING COMPUTER REPAIRS AND NETWORKING SERVICES TO ITS FOUNDER'S FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. TODAY, THE SBC PROVIDES IT CONSULTING, NETWORK INSTALLATION, AND SALES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF CINCINNATI. SBC SELLS AND REPAIRS ALL TYPES OF COMPUTERS, PARTS AND PERIPHERALS, AND SOFTWARE. IN ADDITION, SBC REPAIRS ALL TYPES OF COMPUTERS, INSTALLS AND UPGRADES SOFTWARE FOR DESKTOPS, LAPTOPS, AND SERVERS, AND SETS UP AND MAINTAINS RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL NETWORKS AS WELL AS SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND SYSTEMS. THE SBC HELPS COMMERCIAL CLIENTS SET UP NEW NETWORKS, RELOCATE EXISTING NETWORKS, EXPAND EXISTING NETWORKS AS THEY ADD EMPLOYEES, AND REMOVE VIRUSES AND SPYWARE. SBC CONSIDERS ITSELF A RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE IT SUPPORT DEPARTMENT AND IS GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLES OF GREAT SERVICE, COMPETITIVE PRICING, FAST RESPONSE TIMES AND COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE.GAF PROVIDED A LOAN OF $105,000 TO REFINANCE DEBT SAVING THE COMPANY NEARLY $6,000 A YEAR IN DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS AND FUND PERMANENT WORKING CAPITAL. SOLEMATE: SOLEMATE IS A RETAIL OPERATION WITH A FOCUS ON SPECIALTY JEANS AND HIGH-END, SPECIALTY SNEAKERS. THE BUSINESS IS LOCATED IN BROOKLYN, NY. THE COMPANY HAS BEEN IN OPERATIONS FOR OVER THREE YEARS AND CONTINUES TO GROW IN SALES AND POPULARITY OVER THE COURSE OF OPERATIONS. PER MANAGEMENT, THE STORE'S POPULARITY, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE PROSPECT LEFFERTS GARDENS NEIGHBORHOOD CONTINUES TO GROW AS HE WAS ABLE TO SOURCE A DIVERSE ARRAY OF MERCHANDISE, LARGELY CENTERED IN SPECIALTY NIKE SNEAKERS, ADIDAS YEEZY SNEAKERS AND OTHER POPULAR ITEMS..GAF PROVIDED A $75,00 LOAN TO REFINANCE OF SHORT TERM, HIGH INTEREST LOANS FROM PREDATORY ONLINE LENDERS AND PROVIDED NEW PERMANENT WORKING CAPITAL TO FUND CONTINUED GROWTH. PORTABLE CHEF: PORTABLE CHEF (PC) IS A MEAL PREPARATION AND DELIVERY SERVICE LOCATED IN NEW YORK CITY. THE COMPANY HAS BEEN IN OPERATION FOR OVER FIVE YEARS AND PROVIDES HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS, CUSTOM PREPARED MEALS TAILORED TO A CLIENT'S SPECIFICATIONS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY USEFUL SERVICE FOR CLIENTS ON A DIET OR THOSE WITH SPECIFIC DIETARY RESTRICTIONS (OR HEALTH ISSUES). THE COMPANY PREPS MEALS DAILY AND MAKES DELIVERIES THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY'S FIVE BOROUGHS. HISTORICALLY, THE COMPANY OPERATED IN EAST HARLEM, NY, BUT DUE TO THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IS IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE THIS GROWTH. GAF PROVIDED A LOAN OF $221,000 TO FUND LEASEHOLD IMPROVEMENTS TO EXPAND THE COMPANY'S SPACE. WIREBIRDS: FORMED IN 2011, WIREBIDS LLC IS AN ONLINE AUCTION PLATFORM FOR COMMERCIAL PRINTERS, BOOKBINDERS, AND OTHER RELATED TRADES WHO WISH TO DISPOSE OF OR ACQUIRE EQUIPMENT FOR THEIR OPERATIONS. IT DEVELOPS AND MAINTAINS ITS OWN SOFTWARE, WHICH IS NOW ON ITS THIRD GENERATION. PRESENTLY, IT HAS 13,000 ACTIVE USERS AND FACILITATE SALES OF OVER $5 MILLION PER YEAR. WIREBIDS DOES NOT BUY OR SELL EQUIPMENT ITSELF IT FACILITATES SALES BY PROVIDING THE PLATFORM AND CHARGING A COMMISSION TO SELLERS OF 5%-10% OF THE SALE PRICE, WHICH THE SELLER MAY CHOOSE TO PASS ON TO THE BUYER AS A BUYER'S PREMIUM. WIREBIDS ALSO CREATES A COMBINED AUCTION EVENT ONCE A MONTH WHEREIN A SELLER OF A FEW ITEMS MAY PARTICIPATE IN A LARGER EVENT WITH SEVERAL SELLERS IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE EXPOSURE AND CREATE A NETWORK EFFECT. GAF FINANCED A LOAN OF $610,000 TO PURCHASE A BUILDING TO HOUSE ITS BUSINESS. VIRTAIR: VIRTAIR INC. (VAI), ESTABLISHED IN 2014 AND PROVIDES HOSPITALS AND OTHER MEDICAL CLINICS WITH THE TIMELY DELIVERY OF OXYGEN, OXYGEN TANKS & SUPPLY TO NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN HOSPITALS, CLINICS AND NURSING HOMES. GAF PROVIDED A LOAN OF $660,000 TO REFINANCE USURY DEBT AND PROVIDE THE COMPANY WITH PERMANENT WORKING CAPITAL TO FUND ITS GROWING INVENTORY.

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