SC Community Loan Fund

When organizations invest in communities, everyone wins. 💚

Thank you, First Citizens Bank, for supporting SCCLF's mission to connect underserved entrepreneurs with the capital and resources they need to succeed. Together, we're strengthening South Carolina—one opportunity at a time.

Interested in making an impact? Partner with SCCLF! Contact our Grants Manager, Tamera, at [email protected] to learn more.

Please join us in welcoming Michael Renault to the SC Community Loan Fund as our new Director of Tax Credits and Housing!💛

Michael oversees SCCLF's New Markets Tax Credit and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs, along with the existing portfolio. He brings a wide-ranging background that spans entrepreneurship and finance, having founded and owned Image360 Charleston, a locally owned sign and graphics company, following a 22-year banking career across retail and commercial lending, commercial real estate, and wealth management.

Michael, a Hilton Head native and longtime Lowcountry resident, is active in the community: he serves on the College of Charleston Board of Trustees, is a former President of its Alumni Association, and sits on the Charleston Leaders board. He has contributed to United Way, Junior Achievement, and the Charleston Trident Urban League. Living in Charleston with two sons in college, he leads this work. Contact at [email protected]!

Today we honor Juneteenth. 🖤

Freedom realized, resilience celebrated, and the work of economic justice continued. At SCCLF, that work shows up in every community we invest in across South Carolina.

Please join us in welcoming Rodrigo Vela to the SC Community Loan Fund as our Interim Chief Financial Officer!💛

Rodrigo directs all of SCCLF's financial operations, maximizing community impact while maintaining strict fiscal sustainability and bridging the gap between traditional corporate finance and mission-driven community development. He brings deep CDFI leadership experience, having previously served as CFO for two of the largest CDFIs in the country: IFF, the Chicago-based regional CDFI.

Rodrigo holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson and completed executive training at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of work, he has been married to Diana for over 20 years and is a father of five, and his community involvement includes serving on the national board of the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders and the board of En Familia Radio, plus his former role as Treasurer for Catholic Education Arizona.

We're glad to have him guiding our financial strategy. Connect with him at [email protected]!

This week our Lending Team joined CDFIs from across the country at Opportunity Finance Network's Small Business Finance Forum in Austin, TX (June 9 to 12). Every conversation reminded us why this work matters: expanding access to capital and opportunity for the communities we serve right here in South Carolina. 🧡

We're grateful for the connections made and the insights gained, and we're returning home energized to keep investing in the small business owners who make South Carolina thrive.

If you're a small business owner ready to grow, or a partner who shares our mission, we'd love to connect. Reach out or visit scclf.org to learn more about how we can work together.

Dreaming of starting or growing your small business? Let's talk. Visit the link in our bio to learn how SCCLF can help. 👇

Please join us in welcoming Summer Lane to the SC Community Loan Fund as our new Compliance and Portfolio Manager!💛

Summer brings five years of experience across operations management, project coordination, client relationship management, and team leadership. With a strong background in retail banking, she has built a track record of process optimization, strategic planning, and delivering exceptional client experiences in fast-paced environments.

Beyond her professional work, she's deeply committed to community outreach and employee engagement, having served in multiple employee resource group leadership roles and earned a 2021 award for culture and teamwork. She holds a B.S. in International Business and a B.A. in Political Science from the College of Charleston.

We're excited to have her on the team. Connect with her at [email protected]!

What a day! 🌟 We were beyond proud to have some of our incredible borrowers take the stage yesterday for a panel hosted by the Nathan Cummings Foundation, alongside fellow changemakers from Opportunity Alabama and Potlikker Capital.

The conversation, “PRIs & Capital Ecosystem Development in the Southeast,” was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when mission driven capital meets community vision. A heartfelt thank you to The Food Academy and Awendaw Sanitation Services for showing up, sharing your stories, and representing the very best of small business in South Carolina. You inspire us every single day. 💙

Moments like these are exactly why we do this work. Here’s to building a stronger, more equitable Southeast together.

Please join us in welcoming Ashley Gilliard to the SC Community Loan Fund as our new Staff Accountant!🧡

Ashley brings over 10 years of accounting expertise, helping organizations turn complex financial data into clear, actionable insights. She has worked with a wide range of clients, from small startups to established companies, keeping financial records accurate, compliant, and easy to manage.

For Ashley, accounting goes beyond numbers; it's about building trust and empowering people to feel confident in their financial future. A Charleston native, she earned her B.S. in Retail Management from the University of South Carolina and her MBA with a concentration in Accounting from Strayer University. We're excited to have her helping advance our mission. Connect with her at [email protected]!

Behind every loan we make is a person with a vision. This Pride Month, we celebrate the LGBTQ+ small business owners, nonprofit leaders, and families across the Lowcountry, Midlands, and Upstate who are building something meaningful, and we are proud to be part of their story. Every neighbor. Every neighborhood. Every opportunity. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

We are thrilled to welcome David Byrd to the SCCLF family!

David comes to us with a Finance degree and an Entrepreneurship minor, a combination that makes him a perfect fit for the work we do every day. He brings heart, hustle, and a genuine commitment to service. We cannot wait to see everything he brings to the team. Welcome, David! Drop a welcome in the comments below! 👋