Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. at Grace Church, Lopez Island

— from the Lopez Island Family Resource Center ( 12:40 p.m. ferry from Orcas and 4:10 p.m. return from Lopez)–

Want to learn more about a new twist on crowdfunding as a business seeking capital or as an individual wanting to invest locally? The Lopez Island Family Resource Center can help you.

Earlier this year, the Washington State Department of Commerce and Community Sourced Capital, a Seattle-based company that helps connect small businesses with affordable capital, launched Fund Local, a campaign aimed at bringing zero-interest crowd-sourced loans to small business in all of Washington’s 39 counties.

Fund Local provides an opportunity for Washington businesses to borrow up to $50,000 to expand and grow with a loan raised through their community. Members of the community who want to support their local businesses lend in $50 increments called “Squares.” The participating businesses pitch their campaign to their community over a 30-day period and once funded, pay the loan back to their “Squareholders” within three years.

Please join us at 2 pm December 1 at Grace Church where Representatives of Community Sourced Capital will discuss crowdfunding in general and provide more information on their program, Fund Local.

If you have questions about the workshop, please contact Patsy Haber at habers211@gmail.com.