Most business owners in Colorado are leaving money on the table…not because the capital isn’t there, but because they don’t know about it. This workshop series is here to change that.  Each session will explore different Colorado-specific capital opportunities that could make a serious difference in your business and how to apply for it.

 In this first session, First Southwest Community Fund (FSCF) team members Rosy Aburto McDonough and AJ Shaikh will provide an overview of the CLIMBER Loan Fund Program, a statewide program offering working capital loans to Colorado small businesses, up to $500,000. We will cover how the program works, loan specifics and qualification requirements, and exactly how to apply. FSCF will also share easily accessible technical resources (templates, examples, fillable files) they share to help with the application. Attendees will walk away with a “Program Fit” worksheet to clearly understand their application readiness and next steps.

More about our presenters:

Rosy Aburto McDonough- Executive Director

Rosy has extensive experience as an independent business consultant in financial, strategy and business development, and procurement/certification state-wide. She comes to FSWCF from the Hispanic Contractors of Colorado (HCC) where she was the Executive Director. Prior to her role at HCC, she served as the Director of the Minority Business Office of Colorado at the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT).

AJ Shaikh- Commercial Lender

AJ Shaikh has over a decade of experience in retail banking, business banking, commercial lending, and SBA finance. He has held senior roles at regional and national financial institutions, managing multimillion-dollar lending portfolios and specializing in SBA 7(a) and 504 lending, commercial credit, and relationship management.