TIME TO COMPETE
COMMUNITY
CAPITAL
COMPETITION
Community
ARI identifies solutions to turn plans into reality using our Community Investment Model that is designed to fully explore a community’s existing assets and challenges, building and/or implementing a plan that develops strategic priorities based upon return-on-investment principles. We do this by answering the following questions for local leaders:
• What should we do?
• Where do we find the resources?
• How do we get it done?
• How do we sustain?
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Capital
ARI has a lending arm, Rural Impact Fund (RIF), that lends capital to diverse small businesses, micro-enterprises, and entrepreneurs in rural communities. The RIF supports projects that create or retain high-paying jobs and enhance the quality of life in the community and region.
The RIF maximum loan amount is currently $50,000 and can be used to provide gap financing, purchase key assets, energy efficiency technology, innovative production equipment, automation technology, strategic inventory and more.
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Competition
ARI is dedicated to ensuring workers earn the skills and credentials needed to prosper and grow. Employers need a quality workforce. By working to strengthen not only small business, but the systems surrounding these businesses, ARI aims to help communities attract lost populations back to their roots, provide a higher quality of life for residents and workers, and provide ample opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and business ownership.
Our workforce program, Process Modernization, brings to bear a prestigious network of national experts who aid small business and industry in validating the business case for automation and upgrades, including the selection of the right solution(s), negotiating with vendors, managing implementation and workforce integration, and, if desired, finance packaging.z
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