Community Economic Development Fund

📣 Calling Connecticut small business owners, especially women-owned businesses!

Join CEDF's Director of Lending, Ricardo Vidal, on November 4 for Capital Connections Day, hosted by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and Webster Bank in Southington.

This event is a great opportunity to gain valuable insights into accessing capital, connect with financial professionals, and learn how to prepare your business for funding.

Register today: https://airtable.com/appEPxUC8ODsizLu7/pago7rxRa1qrNUSwd/form

This Women-Owned Business Month, we’re proud to spotlight Sensational Achievements, a CEDF customer making an impact in Stamford, CT.
Sensational Achievements, LLC

Owner Aubrey Schmalle OTR/L, SIPT has built a business that provides individualized evaluations, targeted therapy, and school-based guidance that give children the tools to build resilience, independence, and lifelong learning skills. We’re proud to be part of her business journey!

Aubrey Schmalle: How One Occupational Therapist Expanded Her Impact A long-standing relationship with CEDF gave pediatric occupational therapist Aubrey Schmalle the foundation she needed to build her business.

📢 ¡Fortalece las finanzas de tu negocio y prepárate para crecer!

CEDF se une a Connecticut SBDC para ofrecer una serie de tres talleres gratuitos en español, donde nuestra Celeste Tapia, Coordinadora de Relaciones Comunitarias, compartirá herramientas para ayudarte a tomar mejores decisiones financieras y prepararte para acceder a capital.

¡Te esperamos! Consulta los detalles e inscríbete hoy.

Calling all Connecticut small business owners! 📣

Join us on November 4 for the New Britain NAACP's Small Business Summit! This event will offer valuable insights, practical strategies, and resources to help your business grow and thrive.

We're proud to support this event and hope to see you there! NAACP - New Britain Branch

Our Women-Owned Business Month celebration continues with Noyes & Associates, LLC. Owner Shernette Noyes serves her community in Stratford, CT through comprehensive legal services with a focus on immigration.

We’re proud to support women entrepreneurs like Shernette who are building businesses right here in Connecticut.

From Immigrant to Advocate: How Noyes & Associates and CEDF Are Empowering Lives During a critical time for the business, CEDF provided working capital and strategic guidance that allowed Noyes & Associates to retain staff, hire new team members, and expand their reach.

CEDF was happy to support this event and discussion on AI, which included our client Aubrey Schmalle from Sensational Achievements, LLC.

CEDF was thrilled to be part of this event!

Ready to strengthen your marketing and reach more customers? Learn the fundamentals of effective marketing and walk away with practical steps you can put to work right away. Register today! https://www.cedf.com/training/2026/10/28/marketing-101-for-small-businesses/

Behind every small business is a story. This week we’re highlighting Aropa Consulting, owned by Rosalind Zavras, CEO and Principal Consultant.

Founded in 2022, Aropa Consulting helps nonprofit organizations strengthen their operations and achieve their missions through values-based, equity-focused consulting. With an emphasis on collaboration and community, Aropa partners with nonprofits to help them make a meaningful impact.

We’re excited to celebrate her during Women-Owned Business Month!

Building Stronger Organizations to Build Stronger Communities: How Aropa Consulting Is Growing with Support from CEDF Aropa partners with nonprofits, foundations, governments, and community organizations across the United States and internationally, helping them strengthen strategy, fundraising, operations, technology, and leadership.

Build a stronger team from the start—join CEDF’s free live webinar, Prepare for Employee Success by Learning to Hire Right – Part 2: https://www.cedf.com/training/2026/11/05/prepare-for-employee-success-by-learning-to-hire-right-part-2/