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New Baltimore Crowdfunding Model is Available Statewide

Seeking capital for your next stage of growth?

 The MD Neighborhood Exchange is a local crowdfunding platform designed to connect businesses seeking capital with residents interested in investing locally!

Local crowdfunding connects Baltimore businesses seeking capital with area residents hoping to earn returns while strengthening the local economy.  Although legal for several years, it has yet to take off in the state because there has been no easy way for businesses and residents to connect.  The MD Neighborhood Exchange was designed to address this challenge and will be the first platform in the nation bridging this gap to foster a stronger, more sustainable local economy.

Come out on December 3 from 6-8 PM to Impact Hub (10 E. North Ave., Baltimore) to learn more about this new model over delicious food and drinks sourced from local vendors.  We’ll be joined by Honeycomb Credit, one of our partners in this effort and a national leader in connecting locally-owned businesses with community capital.

Who should attend?

  • Business owners: learn how you can borrow money, not from corporate banks, but directly from your community.
  • Baltimore residents: learn how you can invest in the robust, locally-owned businesses that make our region so special.

The event is FREE, but you must register HERE to attend.

Questions?  Reach out to me at sgeller@communitywealthbuilders.org or 443-424-4110.

What’s investment crowdfunding?
Investment crowdfunding allows residents of a community to invest directly in local businesses, a process that used to be difficult. Recent changes in securities law now allow every adult to invest up to $2,200 per company per year. Local businesses can raise up to $1 million annually through more than 30 federally-licensed online portals. Since 2016, when crowdfunding was legalized, more than 1,800 companies have raised a quarter of a billion dollars this way.

Is this the same thing as Kickstarter or Kiva?
No. Kickstarter is one of many online sites that allow users to make donations to exciting causes or projects. Kiva encourages users to make no-interest loans. Investment crowdfunding gives investors a real rate of return through interest, dividends, or stock appreciation.

Why is investment crowdfunding needed?
Even though local businesses represent about the bulk of the economy, most commercial bank loans and other long-term capital investments go to large, established companies.

How does crowdfunding help?
Crowdfunding makes it easy for people in a neighborhood to shift a small portion of their savings and investments from Wall Street to Main Street, thus providing a new source of capital to great local businesses.

If crowdfunding is so useful, why aren’t more neighborhoods using it?
It’s new. It’s different. And there are, as always, risks for investors. But perhaps the biggest reason is a lack of awareness. That’s where the Maryland Neighborhood Exchange, fits in.

Want to learn more?
Contact us to learn more at sgeller@communitywealthbuilders.org.

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