A view of Bennington Monument in Vermont during the fall

Partners in advancing Vermont’s economy

Community

Our colleagues are critical to building business in Vermont

Business investment and planning takes teamwork. At Community Capital, our staff and leadership work in partnership with a variety of colleagues who support small business growth. Whether through mutual referrals, participation loans where a borrower receives funds from multiple lenders, or training and advising, we join forces with numerous organizations to advance small business in Vermont, supporting and guiding people who have excellent business ideas and the will to make their dreams come true as they grow and sustain businesses.

Banks and Credit Unions

As a mission-based lender, Community Capital sees opportunity where other institutions see risk – supporting borrowers who banks and credit unions are not able to serve.

 

Vermont Small Business Development Center

Community capital offers business advising to our borrowers, and we also work with the advisers of the VT Small Business Development Center. Our approach and our goal is simply to find the best adviser for each business.

Economic Development Corporations, Downtown Associations and other Nonprofit Organizations

With Community Capital’s broad statewide reach, we assist in local and regional development by partnering with organizations such as Vermont’s robust network of Regional Development Corporations.

A Success Story, Maggie Carr, Three Mountain Cafe, Waitsfield

Maggie Carr was an employee of Three Mountain Café when the business came up for sale during the Covid pandemic. A legacy community gathering spot in the Mad River Valley, the Café has existed for decades under a variety of owners. As Maggie thought about the possibilities, she developed a vision of what the Waitsfield business could contribute to the region: “A coffee shop can be a beautiful snapshot into a community. I wanted it to be a place where people can celebrate the good, try tasty food or coffee, and do daily life together, even if daily life is not so good sometimes.” As she researched business loans, Maggie appreciated the steps that Community Capital laid out for her on the path to secure a line of credit for business expenses. “Community Capital wants to be sure your business is viable, so there is a process built in to explore what will happen in your first year. The process helped me articulate useful guiding posts that I wouldn't have had to create with a traditional big lender.”  After she secured her business loan, Maggie found Community Capital to continue to be helpful with post-loan support. “Community Capital helped me sit down, make choices, and weed through the noise,” she noted. Three Mountain Café’s tagline is “Coffee, Eats & Good Cheer.” Maggie says that good cheer is the standard that she has made sure is present in each element of the Café. “We’re playing with fun colors, fun staff, and a fun social media presence. We’re having fun. There’s a lot of good cheer going on.” With the backing of Community Capital, Maggie has been able to focus on other priorities as a woman in business. She notes, “Vermonters want to take care of each other, and the Café’s sense of community further encourages responsibility.” For example, almost half the Three Mountain Café staff is living with special needs. “Community Capital’s support lets me focus on being an inclusive workplace.” As she actualizes the impact that a business can have on a community, Maggie says she is “reflecting a lot lately about what it means to be in business in Vermont. There’s a lot of support for trying new things.” Having navigated ongoing challenges like purchasing the Café during the Covid pandemic, Maggie continues to grow into her business. “Because of Community Capital, I have the confidence to move forward. Community Capital believes in me, and their wraparound support feels like yes, they really care about me. I am certain that I can excel at my work and be a rockstar business owner.”