Resource Center

Community Facilities Technical Assistance Products

The Community Facilities Fund provides business technical assistance one-on-one and in workshops on such topics as basic financial management, how to finance a facility; and when it makes sense to get a loan.  

Self-Help also has technical assistance Tools for Lenders. Check out our survey results in different community facilities fields, as well as information on pre-development loan funds and other information.

Charter Schools

Charter School Cash Flow Worksheet:  Use this excel spreadsheet to analyze your month-to-month cash flow, break-even point, debt coverage, and key ratios (payroll, occupancy, and food as percentages of revenues).

Charter School Budget Data:  Self-Help has created "model budgets" for charter schools. This information can be used to assist charter school operators in preparing their school’s budget.

Lending and Learning:  Self-Help publishes an annual newsletter for charter schools.

Lending and Learning, Issue 1, 2004-2005
Lending and Learning, Issue 2, 2005-2006
Lending and Learning, Issue 3, 2007-2008

Charter School Facilities Flyer

Charter School Marketing Presentations:

Challenges For Rural Charters
Challenges to Accessing Capital for People of Color
Facility Financing 101
Governance

Construction Timeline for a Charter School Facility:  Self-Help has designed this guide to help schools better understand the timeline and management of construction projects.

Child Care

Child Care Business Basics:  Click here to access resources developed by Self-Help for child care providers on how to run a child care business. All resources are a part of Self-Help's business curriculum: Child Care Business Basics.

Business Side of Child Care Manual:  The manual addresses child care business operations, regulations, quality issues, financing considerations, facility planning, and Self-Help’s approach to child care lending.  While the manual may be helpful to child care providers, it is designed for other lenders and child care technical assistance providers.

Helpful Hints for Child Care Providers:  Tips for starting-up or expanding a child care—including a list of resources (usually free) that are available to assist child care providers with curriculum and business plans.

Nonprofit vs. For-profit Child Care Facilities:  Should you be a for-profit or nonprofit? This easy-to-read chart briefly highlights the differences between for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

For information on program components, subsidies, etc., check out the Smart Start and NC Division of Child Development websites.

Health Care

Healthy Investments: Capital Needs and Financing of Community-Based Health Services:  This report assesses the capital needs of community-based health service providers and potential financing mechanisms in North Carolina.

A Place to Start: A Small Business Workbook for Mental Health Professionals:  This workbook serves as an initial guide through some vital questions you must ask as you consider becoming a mental health entrepreneur.

Supportive and Affordable Housing

Supportive Housing Manual:  The manual contains an overview of supportive housing in general; details about specific categories in North Carolina; and a discussion of the funding and financing of supportive housing, including capital and operating, and local, state, and national public and private sources.

Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofit Cash Flow Worksheet:  Use this excel spreadsheet to analyze your month-to-month cash flow, break-even point, debt coverage, and key ratios (as percentages of revenues).

Financing for Nonprofit Organizations:  Check out this piece for finding funding sources for nonprofit organizations and ideas for structuring your loan request.

Other Useful Information

Historic tax credits:  This document explains how historic tax credits can work for you.

Tools for Lenders

Child Care Technical Assistance Needs:  What kind of business technical assistance is available for child care providers in North Carolina, and what are others around the country doing to provide this kind of technical assistance to child care providers? This report provides information on assistance programs around the country.