Eastern North Carolina 

Natural Capital Investment Fund is excited to announce that Partner Community Capital™ is our new name!

Partner Community Capital (PCAP) is a U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that makes loans from $25,000 to $1,000,000 to small businesses who can’t access traditional sources of funding. Over 50% of our borrowers are women and people of color, and 85% are in rural or economically distressed communities. We specialize in supporting businesses that create jobs, provide vital community services, and enhance natural resources. We lend across North Carolina and West Virginia, and also serve the Appalachian regions of surrounding states (MD, OH, KY, TN, VA, SC and GA).

We’ve chosen Partner Community Capital as our name to better reflect what we do and how we do it. Since our founding in 2000, we’ve relied on partnerships—with our borrowers, community leaders, small business support entities, and other funders—to support jobs and positive environmental and community impact.  And, our new name is more inclusive of the broad impact PCAP seeks. We support locally owned, environmentally responsible small businesses, because they are key to building thriving and resilient communities. They create wealth for entrepreneurs and their families, providing products, services and improvements that all families need to prosper.

President and CEO Marten Jenkins said, "Over 20 years, we’ve expanded beyond our pioneering work as a “green” lender to address the needs that people in underserved communities have for quality childcare, healthcare, and other vital infrastructure. As we looked for a new name, we heard over and over from our clients and peers that they value how we work in partnership with them.  We know this approach will be more important than ever as we and other CDFIs take a leadership role in addressing the economic, social and environmental challenges we all face.”

To learn more about Partner Community Capital, our lending, special programs, and impact, please visit our new website:  www.partnercapital.org.

NCIF recognizes that small enterprises often need more than just capital to grow.  That’s why we provides business advisory services along with loan capital.  Since inception, NCIF has provided over 17,000 hours of advisory services to over 900 companies.

NCIF’s strategic initiatives use targeted funding to “double down” on particular sectors, taking this combined approach of loan capital and business advisory services to the next level. Visit the NCIF website for more on our strategic initiatives. 

NCIF’s current strategic initiatives include:  Farmers of Color, Energy Efficiency, Local Food Systems and Southern West Virginia Tourism. 

For more information, visit the NCIF website. 

At Natural Capital Investment Fund, our management team maintains a fiscally healthy organization with growing assets and positive trends in its loan portfolio. 

Our ability to do this is made possible with generous support from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies. As such, we are committed to accountability and donor transparency in our operations.

Below are PDF downloads of our most recent audited tax and financial information:

• 2014 Form 990
• Financial Statements (Years Ended December 31, 2014 and 2013)

• 2013 Form 990
• Financial Statement (Years Ended December 31, 2013 and 2012)
• 2012 Form 990
• Financial Statement (Years Ended December 2012 and 2011)

By signing up for our e-newsletter, you agree to receive periodic communication about the latest news and work done by Natural Capital Investment Fund. You can easily unsubscribe at any time, and we commit to only contacting you with pertinent, timely information. (See our Privacy Policy for details.)

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Read NCIF's latest e-newsletter here.

Past NCIF e-newsletters 

Fall 2016 Newsletter
Spring 2016 Newsletter
Fall 2015 Newsletter
Spring 2015 Newsletter

Natural Capital Investment Fund loans are designed to help businesses, non-profits and farms grow operations, increase profitability, create employment opportunities, and have positive environmental and community impact. 

For more information on how to apply for a loan, visit the NCIF website. 

Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF) and The Conservation Fund (“The Fund”) are committed to protecting your privacy. Our privacy policy covers information we collect on our website and the manner in which we use it.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact us via e-mail at webmaster@conservationfund.org.

What information do we collect?
Your IP (Internet Protocol) address is used to gather broad demographic information such as the geographic regions most interested in our site and what type of browser most of our visitors prefer. This information helps us to better maintain and update our site to be the most user-friendly and relevant. IP addresses do not provide us with any identifiable personal information such as your name, address, or email address, thus keeping visitors anonymous.

NCIF and The Fund collect information volunteered by visitors, such as answers to survey questions, information collected when purchasing a publication or class, and during the donation process. Information we collected in these interactions include personally identifiable information, information about organizational affiliation, and information about your conservation interests. No personally identifiable information is collected about individuals without their knowledge.

How is this information used by NCIF and The Fund?
NCIF and The Fund have a strict policy against buying, selling, or sharing mailing lists and donor information. Under this policy, personal information provided to the Fund is NEVER shared or sold to any other organization – public, private, or nonprofit.

E-mail policy
NCIF and The Fund provide forms on its site where users can sign-up to receive e-mail newsletters and periodic notices about conservation topics. We limit communications by e-mail to users who have opted in to receive e-mail communications or in the course of business for online transactions including confirmation of contributions and product or course purchases. Each email sent contains an easy, automated way for you to cease receiving email from us, or to change your expressed interests.

Security of Your Information
NCIF and The Fund take the following measures to ensure that information collected on our site is kept secure and is used as intended. All data is stored on secure, firewall-protected servers either at The Conservation Fund offices or those of business partners, and is only accessible to authorized staff and partners.

Sensitive data, such as credit card and other financial information, is collected on secure forms and transmitted using industry-standard Secure Socket Layer Encryption (SSL) technology. Credit card information is retained only as long as necessary to complete the donation or purchase request of the user.

Links to Third Party Sites
NCIF and The Fund provide links to third party sites. While we make efforts to choose our links carefully, we cannot take any responsibility for the content or privacy policies of linked websites. Since we do not control these sites, we encourage you to review their privacy policies posted prior to any use.

Privacy Policy Changes
We may amend this privacy policy from time to time. Your continued use of our website after the date that such notices are posted will be deemed your agreement to the changed terms.

Updated 1/2013

Gat Caperton, Chair
Caperton Furniture Works (WV)

Mikki Sager, Vice Chair
The Conservation Fund (NC)

Carol Davis, Esq.
S.G. Atkins Community Development Corp. (NC)

Jerrell (J) Deaver, Jr.
First Citizens Bank (NC)

Archie Hart
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NC)

Wm. A. (Tony) Hayes
TRANCAS, LLC (NC)

Ruth K. Joseck
United Bankshares (WV)

Jena Thompson Meredith
The Conservation Fund (CA)

Erik Meyers
The Conservation Fund

Evan Smith
The Conservation Fund

West Virginia Advisory Committee

Christy Bailey
National Coal Heritage Area Authority
Beckley, WV

Dave Clark
Randolph County Housing Authority
Beverly, WV

Angie & Dee Cowger
The Custard Stand Food Products 
Webster Springs, WV

Jennifer Douglas 
Citizens Conservation Corp of West Virginia
Beckley, WV

Bill Glasscock
Laurel Creek Hardwoods
Richwood, WV

Dale Hawkins
Fish Hawke Acres Farm
Weston, WV

Gene Kisler
Lights on West Virginia
Fayetteville, WV

Cathy Kunkel
Coal River Mountain Watch
Arnett, WV

Sharon Lansdale
Center for Rural Health
Winfield, WV

Savanna Lyons
WV Food and Farm Coalition
Hill Top, WV

Sheri Ryder
Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation
St. Albans, WV

Melanie Seiler
Cabins on Miller Ridge
Fayetteville, WV

Mary Skeens
Community Works WV
Charleston, WV

Kent Spellman
WV Community Development HUB
Clarksburg, WV

Anna Zeigler
Zeigler & Zeigler
Hinton, WV

North Carolina Advisory Committee

DeWayne Barton
Asheville Green Opportunities (GO)
Asheville, NC 

Dawn Battiste
NC Land Loss Prevention Project
Durham, NC

Joyce Bowman
My Sister’s Farm
Burgaw, NC

Carol Jackson 
My Sister’s Farm
Watha, NC

Carol Coulter  
National Committee for the New River
West Jefferson, NC 

Brian Crutchfield
Blue Ridge Membership Coop (retired)
Lenoir, NC 

Jane Hatley
Self-Help Credit Union
Asheville, NC

Betsy McCorkle  
NC Sustainable Energy Association
Raleigh, NC

John Parker
Consultant
Durham, NC 

Napoleon Wallace
Self-Help Credit Union 
Durham, NC

Scott Marlow
RAFI-USA
Pittsboro, NC 

Curtis Wynn
Roanoke Electric Cooperative
Ahoskie, NC

Carolyn Perry
NC Rural Center
Raleigh, NC

Farmer Curtis Branch. Photo by Bill Bamberger
Natural Capital Investment Fund’s Accounting Assistance for Disadvantaged Farmers program helps farmers of color and limited resource farmers in Eastern North Carolina establish good recordkeeping and build financial stability.  The program enables disadvantaged farmers to contract with qualified CPAs at a reduced rate. 

The Accounting Assistance Program is supported by a grant from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.  

 

Farmers can download an overview and application HERE (Word) or HERE (PDF).
Accountants can download an overview and application HERE (Word) or HERE (PDF).

 

Farming is hard work, and even harder for small farmers.  Farmers of color face additional challenges– discrimination, difficulty accessing capital, and the loss of family lands.   NCIF is committed to helping disadvantaged farmers – who lack access to financial resources -- diversify their enterprises and build greater financial stability.  Raising vegetables or beef for the local market, for example, or developing a CSA, can provide more revenue streams and reduce risk. 

Of course, branching out into new crop or animal production requires more than just agricultural knowledge. Farmers need good financial recordkeeping, tax returns and careful planning to access debt capital and take advantage of federal and state grant opportunities.  That’s where the Accounting Assistance project comes in.  

How It Works

Through this pilot program, farmers who aren’t currently working with Certified Public Accountants will be able to do so at a fraction of the usual cost.  They’ll get help filing their 2015 tax return and will develop a financial recordkeeping system to help keep track of their costs and be ready for future tax years.  

In addition, The Conservation Fund’s Resourceful Communities program will help participating farmers with crop planning and cost management. Learn more.

Farmer Eligibility

To be eligible for the program, farmers must:

• Be able to show at least $10,000 in farm revenue for the previous year.  You may submit receipts of transactions of commodity sales, contracts, W-9s, Schedule F’s, etc.
• Have NOT have used an accountant for the previous two years.
• Agree to pay 20% of the cost of accounting services, up to $250.
• Be located in Eastern NC or the Sandhills region: Beaufort, Bertie, Columbus, Craven, Duplin, Edgecombe, Greene, Halifax, Hertford, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, Pitt, Sampson, Warren, Wayne, and Wilson counties.
• Agree to complete a survey and interview at the end of the program period to help assess this program.
• Agree to utilize an accountant from a pre-approved list, OR an accountant of their choice who has experience working with farmers and is current on all certifications and licenses.  

 

Accountant Eligibility

To be eligible for the program, accountants must:

• Have substantial experience working with agricultural enterprises and preparing their tax returns;
• Be current on all licenses and certifications;
• Have no overdue tax debts, as defined by N.C.G.S. 105-243.1, at the federal, state, or local level; and have no personal and/or professional relationships with the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission or Natural Capital Investment Fund (state requirement).