Southern Good Faith Fund

 Pine Bluff     Arkansas

http://www.southerngff.org     << visit website

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Southern Good Faith Fund Charity Profile

Southern Good Faith Fund (SGFF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit affiliate of Southern Bancorp (Southern), a multi-bank holding company with operations in Arkansas and Mississippi. The Southern family of companies includes three banks – Delta Southern Bank in Ruleville, Mississippi; Elk Horn Bank in Arkadelphia, Arkansas; and First Bank of the Delta in Helena-West Helena, Arkansas – and four development affiliates – Southern CDC, Southern Good Faith Fund, and Southern Financial Partners. SGFF’s original mission was modeled after the microloan program of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Over the years, this mission evolved to include a multi-faceted approach. In the mid 1990s, we realized that business ownership was not the solution for everyone; many residents needed increased skills to compete for jobs that could support their families. Federal welfare reform legislation also inspired our expansion into workforce development and our decision to start a policy program to increase the impact of our mission beyond direct service. Finally, toward the late 1990s, we expanded our strategies for helping low income families reach financial security and growth by incorporating a focus on asset development. SGFF now operates four programs: Asset Builders, Business Development Center, Career Pathways, and Public Policy.