Growing Together Inc.

PROJECT PURPOSE

Over the past year and a half, Growing Together (GT) launched and bolstered several initiatives to ensure that Tulsa's most vulnerable Latino families and businesses survive and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. After witnessing these initiatives' profound impact on the Kendall-Whittier neighborhood and persistent demand for services beyond our usual geographic scope, GT is expanding to support a greater number of individuals while immediately improving their ability to contribute to our local and state economies. With one-time funding from the State, this innovative project will a create clear, low-maintenance path forward for the Oklahoma legislature to invest in proven solutions that will help Latino communities attain greater levels of self-sufficiency and contribute to economic recovery efforts. GT will minimize any administrative burden on the State by managing each component of this project and all reporting requirements. The purpose of this project is to: 1). Expand the Communities In Schools (CIS) program to 7 additional low-income public schools to create new centralized hubs for efficient resource mobilization for vulnerable families, 2). Expand the Mixed Income Neighborhood Trust which will place 70 units of new/rehabilitated affordable rental housing in service for target families by 2024, 3). Build capacity to provide expanded small business supports under Avanzando Juntos, which will be Tulsa?s only Latino-focused Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), and 4). Expand the capital lending pool for Latino-owned businesses under the Mi Gente Loan Fund. Each of these targeted solutions interact with each other to create a holistic playbook for economic development within a defined neighborhood characterized by its historic Latino community.

EVIDENCE

Growing Together currently operates the gold-standard evidence-based Communities In Schools Program at 6 Tulsa Public Schools with technical assistance and program evaluation support from CIS Mid America to maintain fidelity with the national program model. The Mi Gente Fund has already made strides in meeting the community?s need for small-business financing to stabilize businesses in the neighborhood. Since its launch in 2020, GT has executed 76 small business loans and managed an over 90% repayment rate. This and the zero percent default rate on loans can be attributed to the Avanzando Juntos program?s ongoing, free business coaching and technical assistance provided to every loan recipient. In turn, small businesses have created and sustained jobs for the community. The Mixed Income Neighborhood Trust operates closely with Trust Neighborhoods, which developed this groundbreaking model to increase housing and reduce displacement. The MINT has placed 14 affordable units in service to date and is on track to complete an additional 15 by the end of 2022.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

COVID-19 hit Tulsa?s Latino businesses and families hard with disproportionately high rates of infection and limited access to CARES Act funding and other federal relief initiatives. Despite high concentrations of poverty among our target population, resource utilization rates are considerably low in the area with only 6% receiving financial assistance benefits and approximately 25% receiving nutritional benefits. With 33% of the neighborhood population identifying as Latino, language barriers, fear of discrimination, and lack of knowledge in navigating opaque systems and requirements create immovable barriers for families and business owners. Funding for this project will enable Growing Together to more efficiently distribute resources in the hands of the people who need it most while directly contributing to the state?s pandemic economic recovery efforts.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

This project has three overarching objectives: (1) Enhance the wellbeing of vulnerable populations, (2) Increase stock of quality affordable housing, and (3) Create economic opportunities for minority business owners. Growing Together will measure project performance based on the completion of milestones tied to use of funds and on program-level data collected to measure success as it relates to project outcomes in housing, economic opportunity, and education (see Attachment-Performance Measurement). GT staff is highly experienced in managing federal and private funds and have a successful track record in submitting complete and timely performance reports.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma