| About Us |
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WMEF was formed in 1989 as a nonprofit 501c(3) community development financial institution (CDFI) to bring financial and business resources to western and central Massachusetts in order to stimulate growth and create a more stable regional economy. We are based in Holyoke, but operate from the Berkshires to the surrounds of Worcester, and from Springfield to Greenfield. WMEF is committed to making loans to businesses and organizations which do not have access to sufficient capital through traditional channels. WMEF is a conduit to specialized financial and business programs, and actively partners with organizations to provide a comprehensive and effective set of resources to the business community. Our goal is to use our experience and business partnerships as well as our lending activity to be an economic catalyst for the entire region.
WMEF’s core business activity is direct lending to businesses and non-profit organizations to foster growth and success. WMEF provides gap financing in partnership with other lenders, typically banks, in order to facilitate larger business or community projects. We also provide access to specialized lending resources, such as tax credit programs. WMEF recognizes that there are many viable business opportunities and community projects which can be successful with sufficient financing resources, and we attempt to bring as many resources to the region as possible to meet that need.
We work closely with an array of businesses and organizations which are dedicated to a strong local economy: banks, economic development agencies, community development corporations, chambers of commerce, Federal, state and local agencies, legislative resources, private investors, business owners, and others. We believe that by combining efforts, skills, and dedication we can together create a vital network which fosters business success and a vibrant, self-sustaining regional economy.
WMEF provides access to lending capital when traditional sources are insufficient or unavailable. We make direct loans to businesses, non profit organizations, and community projects, and we have business partners which provide specialized lending resources such as tax credit programs and more complex financing arrangements which exceed WMEF’s lending capacity. WMEF also has customized lending programs to support specific types of borrowers in partnership with other organizations with expertise in that business niche. We work closely with members of our communities to determine unmet needs and to work with our partners to bring effective solutions to bear. WMEF is well established both regionally and nationally, and has the contacts to bring a wide range of business and lending resources to our local borrowers.
WMEF provides technical assistance. Successful financing arrangement often depend on access to appropriate advisory and technical resources. Technical assistance covers a wide range of services including fine-tuning a business plan, tweaking a marketing strategy, determining the need for business equipment, or looking at the options in a changing business landscape. It also includes consideration of various financing options and determining which vehicle and which business partner are most appropriate for the situation. WMEF works directly with applicants and borrowers to ensure that the tools needed to successfully manage and grow a business are available. We are an ongoing resource and a sounding board for our borrowers.
WMEF’s service area is the First and Second Massachusetts Congressional Districts, which include Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties and parts of Worcester, Middlesex, and Norfolk counties. WMEF is a mission-driven community organization with a focus on creating and sustaining economic growth. WMEF is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the USDA, the CDFI, the Federal Government, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts . SBA, USDA and other funding should not be construed as an endorsement of any products, opinions, or services. All SBA, USDA, and other funded projects are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).
To speak with one of our staff please call the WMEF office at 413-420-0183 or email
Michael Abbate
Director, Finance & Administration |
Kimberly Gaughan
Loan Services Administrator |
Rebecca Cappiello
Program Administrator |
Natalie Georges
Marketing/Grant Writer |
Michelle Crosby
Small Business Lender |
Christopher Sikes
Executive Director |
Humera Fasihuddin |
National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance |
Deborah Favreau |
MA Housing Investment Corp. |
Peter Gagliardi
Clerk |
HAP, Inc. |
James Hickson
President |
Berkshire Bank |
| Jan Klausner-Wise |
Office of Representative, Ellen Story |
| Leslie Lawrence |
MassDevelopment |
| Sheryl McQuade |
Bank of America |
| Peter Miller |
Office of State Senator, Michael Knapik |
Georgianna Parkin
Vice President |
MA SBDC |
| Lillian Santiago |
Bauza & Associates, LLC |
Tim Brennan
Treasurer |
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission |
