Apr. 2020 Newsletter
The Role for Community Philanthropy
Supporting Their Communities in a Time of Pandemics
Pictured: LOCUS works with foundations to help them lay out their landscapes and leverage more of their balance sheets for the places they care about with local impact investing. Many of the same techniques can be used in innovative ways to provide support to stakeholders struggling with COVID-19.
Our work centers on community philanthropy – community foundations, health care conversion foundations, private foundations and their stakeholders. Having settled into our home offices, we’ve started reaching out to our partners to see how they and their communities are doing and to help us consider ways to be supportive during this crisis. We want to share – in almost real time – what we are hearing and thinking about the role of philanthropy in the time of COVID-19 . ... . READ MORE ON OUR BLOG
LOCUS Focus
Leveraging Loan Guarantees
Last month, LOCUS President Teri Lovelace was a featured speaker on a webinar hosted by Confluence Philanthropy spotlighting how loan guarantees can de-risk innovative initiatives. Teri particpipated alongside Catherine Covington of MCE Social Capital and the Abell Foundation's Eileen O’Rourke, who shared learnings from their respective work and how foundations are lowering barriers to leveraging more of their balance sheets. Check out this blog article by Catherine capturing the proceedings.
Resources for Our Communities
Our parent company, Virginia Community Capital (VCC), is partnering with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Virginia Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC Network) to host a series of weekly webinars to assist Virginia’s business community during these difficult times. The first sessions will include updates from Jody Keenan, State Director of the SBDC Network, and Rebecca Rowe, Associate Director of DHCD’s Community Revitalization Department. Click here to learn more and register for the series.
Opportunity Zone Updates
COVID-19 has caused a significant amount of market volatility. An article from Globe St. discusses a potential increase in Opportunity Zone investments as events progress from the perspective of Reid Thomas, executive vice president of Opportunity Zone fund administrator NES Financial.

Four Points Funding's Opportunity Zone fund was recently named the Top Rural Opportunity Zone Fund Catalyst by Forbes OZ 20, a collaboration between Forbes and the Sorenson Impact Foundation. Four Points' Chris Montgomery appeared on Opportunity DB's podcast to discuss how the Colorado based fund is sparking catalytic impact and serving the long-term needs of rural communities.
News from
the Field
Where You'll Find LOCUS
Since COVID-19 has upended so many practitioners' travel, please see below a list of helpful virtual gatherings and learnings...

Apr. - May | Virtual Session
VCC will host weekly updates for VA's small business community.

Apr. 4 | Virtual Session
A virtual session on the role of community philanthropy during COVID-19 (MIE members only).

May 11-13 | Virtual Convening
This year, MIE will host a digital version of their 2020 convening.
LOCUS Capital, Inc. is a Registered Investment Advisor Firm. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where LOCUS Capital, Inc. and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. LOCUS Capital, Inc. and its representatives do not furnish investment advice or services through this website. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.