Tri-County Council for Western Maryland
The Tri-County Council for Western Maryland, Inc. (TCC) is a Local Development District serving Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties. Its mission is to provide a forum for local governments and citizens throughout Western Maryland to identify the issues and opportunities that are facing the region.
TCC, through its Summit Financing Solutions, offers two loan programs for Western Maryland's small businesses:
- Western Maryland Revolving Loan Fund - This loan fund is gap financing. A bank lends part of the money and TCC financing "fills the gap."
- State Lottery Terminal (SLoT) Fund - This loan fund is a direct lend program, that is, no bank participation is required.
Natural Capital Investment Fund
The Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF) is a small business loan fund that supports entrepreneurs who are creating jobs and businesss in underserved communities in Central Appalachia and the Southeast. NCIF offers flexible capital loans and advisory services to small businesses, agricultural enterprises, and community organizations.
NCIF also has small technical assistance grants available. Those grants can be used for a variety of technical equipment and services, such as website design, setting up e-commerce, POS systems, etc.