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Getting ready to become a ERC 2024 Fellow

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What a journey...thinking back I was excited, not knowing really what to expect, and honored and thankful for the opportunity. I've been very passionate about increasing small business lending since the past 10 years now, and this fellowship came in the right timing, moment, and yes I was psyched to meet all the other fellows and get to know the other projects.

You may ask why the timing and excitement? In 2018, I founded a non profit, Causa Local, and its been 5 years since I founded Causa Local and the fellowship was a great fresh new opportunity to combine with other responsibilities at the professional moment I'm in my work timeline.

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I was excited to meet the other 63 fellows and the ERC Team. We kicked off the fellowship at Portland and were able to get to know some of the fellows, understand their backgrounds, projects, and interests.

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Through my participation in Inclusiv Commercial Lending Courses I was able to refresh my knowledge regarding local commercial lending and connect with great peers!

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The local newspaper interviewed me and mentioned the ERC Fellowship.

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Inclusiv celebrates its 50th anniversary in New York City!!! 

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Honored to participate in Inclusiv's 50th Celebration in NYC, great event to meet Inclusiv staff and their commercial lending team. Participated in great conferences, such as the one on CDFIS and was able to network with different organizations and Puerto Rico Cooperativa leaders.

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Visited various Cooperativas with the Inclusiv Team. It was a great experience to continue to meet key stakeholders and interview them, in regards to their needs, and wins.

June was a very exciting month and busy, Inclusiv announced they are receiving the Green Energy EPA Grant and it will be a game changer for cooperativas in PR to increase small business green lending.

Inclusiv came to PR and announced the great news and I worked with the commercial lending team and we prepared a presentation. One of the parts I enjoyed the most was analyzing the oustanding demand for commercial loans that Cooperativas could aim to be part of in the island.

I got to present, during the event, with other Inclusiv Staff Members.

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Im still loading July Learning Day...was able to work remote a couple of days from Buenos Aires, which was exciting and fun. Also was able to visit family and walk around the city.

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We planned this event in the southern part of the island and invited different key stakeholders to talk about access to capital, such as SaliCOOP; it was a great conversation about traditional and non-traditional capital for small and medium size business owners in Puerto Rico.

The panel was recorded, here is the link attached:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbURcA4Aaso&t=2712s

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Inclusiv Selected for a $1.87 Billion Grant through EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

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In September 2024, I joined my host in a tour that consisted of over 50 local cooperativas to talk about the announcement "Inclusiv Selected for a $1.87 Billion Grant through EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund" and what that meant for cooperativas in Puerto Rico and green small business lending.

It was a great opportunity for me to meet the different team members of the cooperativas and talk to them about my role as an ERC Inclusiv Fellow.

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In October, we continued the visits to different cooperativas all around Puerto Rico.

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In November, we concluded our tour and paused to reflect on all the visits, notes taken, and different sub-cultural within each cooperativa.

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LISC BOD Enterprise Meeting in Colegio de Architectos

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Joined Inclusiv and other key stakeholders in LISC's BOD Enterprise Meeting in Colegio de Architectos to network and learn about the initiatives Puerto Rico has taken towards a more sustainable green friendly environment.

The conferences and dynamics in this event were very interesting.

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Step 4: Critically analyzing my timeline

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Step 4: Critically analyzing my timeline

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What a year, excited for this opportunity and looking forward to continue to lead our work plan, visit more spaces, and get to know my peers.

Really want to continue to leverage our opportunities and LOVE MORE!

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Step 4--Critically analyzing my timeline Ana Maria Cintron

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“We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” 

― Winston S. Churchill