Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation expanding entrepreneur mission into new downtown office

FAHF President & CEO Dora Westerlund recently secured the purchase of the Berkeley Building for $1, with plans to renovate it for future retail space and business incubator offices. Photo by Frank Lopez

A Fresno organization that has made it its mission to support and grow local entrepreneurship has been steadily expanding its services and scope in the last few years, calling for more space to accommodate the work.

The Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation (FAHF) was founded in 2001 by a group of local business owners with a commitment to support the Hispanic business community.

Today, FAHF is a key partner to funding, training and support for small businesses, minority owned businesses, woman owned businesses, and a network of partnerships with entrepreneurs, local governments, nonprofits and others invested in the welfare of the community.

Last week, the Fresno City Council and Fresno Revitalization Corp. approved the sale of the Berkeley Building located at 887 Fulton St., across “Homerun Alley” from Chukchansi Park, for $1.

The two-story building, dubbed “887 Fulton” by the FAHF, is valued at $81,000 and covers about 11,250 square feet and was built in 1960.

Another home on Fulton

Dora Westerlund, founder, CEO and president of the FAHF, said that she has been looking for a new property for about a year to accommodate their expansion.

“I am looking have something that is really nice, that we can be proud of, and that the community can benefit from,” she said.

According to city documents, the building has been long vacant and has sustained extensive water damage to the roof and interior.

The property is in escrow for the next six months, during which Westerlund will have to do her due diligence and understand more about the property to see exactly what renovations will be needed.

The FAHF is applying for a federal grant to help fund the project. An exact timeline is unclear.

She said the first floor will consist of commercial retail space, and the second will be offices for small businesses and entrepreneurs that might not have an office.

According to FAHF Disposition and Development Agreement, the performance schedule is laid out with an 18-month plan submission and approval period and 24-month construction to certification of occupancy approval. Mayor Jerry Dyer told Westerlund at last week’s city council meeting to let the city know should they encounter any issues to help speed up the permitting process.

Forward momentum

Funding for renovating the building is expected to come from a $3 million U.S. Economic Development Program Grant, an in-kind match of $750,000 and FAFH equity.

Westerlund said the FAHF team is excited about its 20-year track record of helping small businesses, with more than 35,000 benefiting from technical assistance, funding, workshops and other resources.

“This hub really has become a concentration for small businesses where they can get their needs met,” Westerlund said.

The foundation saw significant growth after the pandemic, becoming an essential resource to the business community navigating the Paycheck Protection Program and various grants from the City of Fresno and other agencies.

The FAHF has Community Development Financial Institution funding programs to help businesses that are having trouble gaining access to capital.

They offer the FAHF Loan fund that goes up to $15,000 per applicant, its USDA Rural Microenterprise Assistance Program that goes up to $50,000, and the Coalinga Revolving Loan Fund, which is only for businesses in Coalinga and goes up to $75,000.

The FAHF also partners with the County of Fresno to provide grants of up to $4,000 and technical assistance to mobile food vendors operating in the county.

Support in times of need

Amid the pandemic, the FAHF launched its virtual cohort programs — Latinapreneur / Womanpreneur — to help minority women owners pivot during the pandemic to market their products and services.

The FAFH Consumer Loan Program caters to a variety of financial needs, including refinancing high-interest debt, emergencies, unexpected expenses like car or home repairs, purchasing home appliances and more.

The Downtown Business Hub — FAHF’s headquarters at 1444 Fulton St., a few blocks north of new building — had its grand opening in 2011. It is the first bilingual business incubator in the Western U.S.

The 13,000 square-foot Downtown Business Hub was purchased and renovated to serve as a business incubator. It also serves as virtual office space for small owners that need a professional business address while living in a different state or city.

Mobile business owners can also use it as a temporary station to use the internet, phone, or conference rooms.

Westerlund said cities need a vibrant downtown, and 15 years ago, she envisioned the FAHF would be in Downtown Fresno and start the work toward revitalization.

She believes the 887 Fulton will attract more businesses and people to the area.

“I’m planning to expand the vision with the new building with people wanting to come to downtown Fresno to enjoy our site, to work, and to have fun,” Westerlund said.