Overview

Why are you interested in becoming a Trustee?

Popuphood is the leader in rethinking the role of independent retail to revitalize neighborhoods, block by block. Working with Kiva to help our members to achieve funding allows them to reach their business goals, in year one, two or three and that translates to a healthy local economy. We support that.

What is the mission of your organization?

Popuphood incubates small business. We consult to cities, developers, and small businesses, catalyzing local economic development working at the intersection of creative placemaking, marketing and business incubation. We customize our Vacant to Vibrant program to provide pathways for temporary, mobile, and pop-up independent retailers, makers, and creatives through our Popup to Permanent Programs, workshops, and creative engagement to create inclusive growth, equitable opportunity, and communities we love.

Borrower Due Diligence

How will you decide who to endorse as a borrower? What due diligence will you conduct?

We spend a great deal of time pre-qualifying our applicants before submitting them as candidates to property owners. We read business plans, conduct phone and in person interviews, and finally look at their marketing efforts to make sure that there is a strategy to meet these goals. We really get to know them and their business, look at their social media presence and their website strategies with an eye for design and experience to brand themselves to be competitive in transitional markets. Local businesses are our specialty and we know how crucial funding is to grow their business in the first three years, especially. For example, funding can be targeted to expand or introduce new products, upgrade the space, or make the first hire.