Gardner Capital's Upward Mobility Fund Expands Partnership with Kiva, Establishing a Loan Matching Program for Minority-Led Small Businesses in the St. Louis Metro Area

DALLAS, Dec. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Gardner Capital, a Dallas based private equity firm and alternative investment platform specializing in multifamily housing and renewable energy development and investment, is expanding its partnership with Kiva to include a loan matching program for the St. Louis area to accelerate minority-led small businesses access to finance, with the initial goal of providing funding to at least 100 minority-led small businesses in the St. Louis metro area annually.

Gardner Capital is partnering with Kiva through Gardner Capital's GCRE Upward Mobility Fund to accelerate minority-led small business access to finance in St. Louis and will initially focus on supporting BIPOC small businesses in the St. Louis Metro area and provide a revolving fund to match loans raised on Kiva's crowd-funding platform – both increasing the total funding available and accelerating the speed of funding loans for entrepreneurs.

"We couldn't be more excited to expand our partnership with Kiva and I am particularly excited that we are able to bring this program to my adopted hometown of St. Louis," said Michael Gardner, Founder of the GCRE Upward Mobility Fund and CEO of Gardner Capital. "While our initial goal of funding at least 100 minority-led small businesses in St. Louis in the next year might sound modest, we expect to meet, exceed and then increase that goal each and every year…and then just keep growing it from there." 

This recent commitment from the GCRE Upward Mobility Fund is a part of Gardner Capital's broader commitment to provide more than $5mm in capital to support Upward Mobility in financially excluded or historically underserved communities through a variety of programs and partnerships including direct equity investments, venture and seed capital, low interest soft funding, grants, and other funding. 

Potential borrowers are encouraged to visit Kiva's Borrower Page for more information.

Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, that celebrates and supports people looking to create a better future for themselves, their families and their communities. By lending as little as $25 on Kiva, anyone can help a borrower start or grow a business, go to school or realize their potential. And since it's a loan, not a donation, you can recycle the same funds over and over to multiply your impact. Through Kiva, each of us has the power to create opportunity and help others work towards their dreams— whether it's a loan to a farmer in rural Kenya or a rooftop farmer in Detroit.

For more information, visit www.kiva.org.

Launched in 2020, the GCRE Upward Mobility Fund  provides low interest soft loans, grants, venture and seed capital to initiatives that focus on upward mobility, renewable energy, EV adoption, or initiatives focused on investment in otherwise underserved markets. The Fund is expected to commit more than $500,000 annually for programs that align with the Funds investment goals and guidelines. For more information or to inquire about funding opportunities, please visit  GCRE Upward Mobility – Funding Page .

Gardner Capital is a private equity firm and alternative investment platform with multiple operating businesses focused on affordable housing and renewable energy development, tax credit syndication, as well as real estate-related investments, joint ventures and capital partner relationships. The firm has offices in St. Louis, Dallas, Houston and Orlando. Since 1992, Gardner Capital has placed more than $3 billion of equity in affordable housing and related investments. In recent years, Gardner Capital added a rapidly growing national platform for solar development and investments, expanding its commitment to renewable energy and sustainability across its investment platform. Additionally, the firm launched multiple alternative investment funds focused on renewable energy and EV adoption, upward mobility and investments in underserved markets. We are committed to investing in communities, supporting upward mobility, and improving the wellbeing of families by developing, investing and increasing access to capital for affordable housing, clean energy and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit www.gardnercapital.com.

Company Contact:
Mike Koehler
Chief of Staff and Director of Solar Development for Gardner Capital
(314) 561-6065
mkoehler@gardnercapital.com

Media Contacts:
Amy Power/Stacey Gaswirth
The Power Group for Gardner Capital

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SOURCE Gardner Capital