Capitalizing Solutions in Georgia's Rural Economies

Across rural Georgia, farmers, entrepreneurs and community lenders are building what their communities need. Too often, the capital behind that work runs out before it can grow. In this conversation for foundation leaders, trustees and investment committee members, three presenters shared how they are putting capital to work in rural places, and the first steps foundations can take to join them.

The conversation picks up where Georgia Grantmakers Alliance and The Conservation Fund left off in their discussion of protecting Georgia’s farmland, turning from the land itself to the capital that helps rural economies grow.

The presenters:

• Justin Dawkins, Founder, Hometown Equity Partners, on opening access to capital for Black farmers and building long-term ownership with farm families.
• Debra Lam, Founding Executive Director, Partnership for Innovation, on helping rural pilots get ready for investment and scale.
• Dr. Thelma Adams Johnson, President and CEO, Albany Community Together, on how a community development financial institution (CDFI) lends locally and builds financing that works for its community.

What we heard:

Patience is what foundations can offer. Each presenter described work that takes time to grow, and capital that can wait for it.

Investable opportunities are built, not found. As Dr. Johnson put it, “Rural opportunity must be cultivated.” Each presenter described the work of getting an idea, a farm or a building ready for investment.

Grants are only one tool. The presenters showed how foundations can do more with their investment assets, from recycling returns into new projects to standing behind a deal with their balance sheet.

Rural Georgia is not one market. What works in one community may not work in the next, and the best partners take time to understand the difference.

First Steps

Each presenter closed with three practical first steps a foundation can take toward investing in rural economies. You’ll find all nine, along with each presenter’s contact information, in the slides from the end of the webinar.

Continue the conversation

If you’d like to explore what a first step could look like for your foundation, we’d be glad to talk. Reach us at hello@brighter-investing.com.