Community Capital Club
Mission:
The Community Capital Club (C3) will seek out projects that enhance the economic prosperity of the Blue Water Region. Similar to other “angel investor groups” C3 aims to support projects that build community capital and enhance quality of place. In doing so, C3 will also consider supporting the efforts of select early-stage companies and/or growing ventures located within the Blue Water Region. We are also interested in supporting opportunities for business growth, development and expansion within our downtowns if they add to the vibrancy and prosperity of the community.
Members of C3 are passionate about business and about their community. Contributing to the general prosperity of the region by helping worthwhile early stage and growth companies succeed is one of the primary goals of C3.
C3 does not consider grant requests. C3 will only consider investing in for-profit businesses. Nonprofit businesses may not apply to C3.
Areas of focus:
At C3 we look for seed-stage and early-stage companies that have sales revenue or are near revenue. We’re looking to invest in entrepreneurial teams with big ideas and a need for capital to turn their ideas into great companies. We expect all applicants to have a significant presence in St. Clair County, and will consider businesses in these areas;
- Capital – bricks & mortar - projects that enhance a particular community or region by improving public spaces and/or help make the community more attractive as a place to live, work and play
- Outdoor products and recreation, especially those that capitalize on our water assets
- Tourism, with a focus on maritime tourists and those to our unique downtowns
- Unique niche businesses that help grow the unique identity of our downtowns and especially those that help bring new dollars into our region
- Water related science, energy and engineering, also known as the Blue Economy
Submitting a plan:
To begin, we ask you to attach a 3-4 page executive summary of your business. The summary does not need to be fancy or long but should address the key business questions including:
- market problem/opportunity
- your solution to this problem
- market potential
- your competition and how you are different/better
- your business model (i.e. how will you make money)
- your team
- financial summary of previous year and forecast
- funds sought, significant milestones, use of these funds
We may also request:
- 2-3 years of business tax returns
- projections if asking for expansion money
- personal financial statements for owners
- 2-3 years personal tax returns
We don’t sign NDAs, but nothing you send us will be will be shared outside C3 without your permission.
Every submission that meets our investment criteria will be reviewed. Due to the volume of plans and materials, we may take a few weeks to get back to you.
To apply for funding please contact Randy Maiers via email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Process:
- Through annual Men’s Night events, C3 will engage a wide and diverse audience of men to enhance their awareness of, and involvement in, efforts to support local nonprofits and community building efforts. Men’s Night events will also provide the venue and audience to increase public awareness of the investment side of C3 and to create a pipeline of potential projects.
- Men’s Night proceeds will be split equally between an immediate gift to a local nonprofit organization, program or project; and an investment into a chosen C3 project that returns a more direct return on investment or return on community capital. This is the only time C3 makes grants to area nonprofits.
- Through one or two annual “Investor Forums” C3 will bring together its members (men & women), as well as other individual investors from throughout the region, to hear presentations on a select number of pre-screened projects. These summits are not open to the public and are by invitation only. These summits will allow potential investors to learn more about possible investment deals that may suit their areas of interest.
- Project screening: potential projects may be submitted at any time to a member of C3. Screenings and initial evaluation of projects will be done confidentially by a subcommittee of C3. Only those projects screened and approved by the C3 subcommittee will be allowed to make presentations at the Investor Forum events.
- The manner in which C3 chooses to invest in projects will depend completely on the unique circumstances of each selected project, and whether the goal is a direct financial return or a return of community capital.
- Individual investors and members of C3 may use any investment vehicle or option that best suits their needs and the needs of their chosen project.
