Secured Finance Foundation – Where We Were and Where We’re Going

The Secured Finance Foundation, a 501c3 organization, has been busy this past year rolling out new programs that benefit our industry. Some of the important initiatives from 2019 include:

• Commissioning and delivering a groundbreaking Market Sizing & Impact Study, with assistance from Ernst and Young, LLP, which is free to our members and donors. This first-of-its-kind study dimensions the breadth, vitality, and interconnectedness of the $4-trillion network of secured finance providers which deploy the capital that fuels our nation’s economy.
• Underwriting a prominent education consultant whose recommendations will underpin SFNet’s curriculum and delivery-refresh initiative in 2020.
• Initiating a speaker series at select universities (Temple University was the kickoff event in April).
• Establishing a pilot program providing commercial lending educational resources to two community lending organizations that finance underserved communities, including women- and minority-owned businesses, in Chicago (Chicago Community Loan Fund and Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives).
• Presenting a Webinar relating to the results of the Foundation’s Market Sizing & Impact Study.
• Adopting initial benchmarks and fundraising for a scholarship program to be provided to undergraduate applicants interested in a career in commercial lending; and
• Supporting our core educational programming. 

Plus, there are many new programs “in the works” for 2020, including:

• Publishing timely industry data and analysis.
• Putting the educational consultant’s recommendation into action to build a robust curriculum that is relevant to our members’ needs.
• Continuing support of a speaker series at select universities.
• Expanding the commercial lending educational resources program to underserved communities.
• Fundraising for the commercial lending scholarship program.
• Supporting SFNet’s core educational programming.
• Sponsoring a digital searchable archive of all back issues of The Secured Lender magazine. 
• Funding a second edition of the industry textbook, Asset Based Finance, Proven Disciplines.
• Hosting the 2020 “40 Under 40” Awards Gala, supporting talent and diversity in the Secured Finance Network Community.

All of these projects are made possible by generous contributions of corporations and individuals. The Foundation greatly appreciates all of the support we’ve received from our contributors and volunteers.

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