The Black Business Investment Fund of Central Florida (BBIF) is an established leader in facilitating smart growth for Central Florida’s Minority Businesses. BBIF is a private non-profit, 501C4, lending and technical assistance provider that specializes in aiding minority business owners in building management capacity and accessing capital.

The BBIF serves Central Florida's business community through the provision of direct loans, loan guarantees, technical assistance and small business advocacy. The BBIF currently serves the four county areas of Orange, Seminole, Lake, and Osceola counties.

The BBIF is one of eight investment corporations created statewide through the Florida Small and Minority Business Act of 1985. BBIF’s mission is to develop and promote African-American business enterprises through education, training, loans, investments, networking and community development activities and to aggressively promote an atmosphere conducive to their development.

• October 1987, the Central Florida financial community, lead by SunTrust Bank, invested a total of $625,000.00 into the loan fund, which was matched dollar for dollar by the State of Florida for a total of $1.3M in seed capital for the BBIF.
• February 1988, the BBIF officially began operations providing loan guarantees to Central Florida’s Black businesses located in Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake Counties.
• February 1993, BBIF formed the Black Business Capital Finance Corporation (BBCFC), a non-profit 501©3 organization.
• August 1995, BBIF developed and approved a 10 year Strategic Plan to re-capitalize the loan fund.
• By September 1998, the BBIF in partnership with its banking partners helped to provide $15 Million in loans to Black businesses throughout Central Florida.
• 1992-1998, numerous partners added additional loan capital to the BBIF; SunTrust Bank, Barnett Bank, AmSouth Bank, and the State of Florida (FBBIB).
• October 1999, BBIF, led by City Commissioner Daisy Lynum, took a group of 26 Black business owners on a Trade Mission to West Africa’s Senegal, Ghana, and Cote D’Ivoire. Accompanying her on the trip was, State Representative Alzo Reddick and County Commissioner Mable Butler.
• January 2002, the BBIF became certified by the US Department of Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and later that year as a Community Development Enterprise (CDE). This important and crucial certification allows for the BBIF to become a developer of economic depressed communities.
• In 2005, BBIF partnered with eight other Black Business Investment Corporation’s and formed the Consortium of BBICs for Statewide investment opportunities.
• August 2006, BBIF purchased the Historical Site of the Carver Theatre, 1.3 acres located at the corner of West Church Street and Parramore.

The BBIF is a partnership with diverse representation from both the public and private sectors. Representatives from financial institutions and government entities serve along with community leaders and small business owners on BBIF’s governing board and committees. Through this inclusive representation, the BBIF ensures that fund initiatives are aligned with overall community economic development strategies.

The BBIF’s strategy to successfully assisting businesses is through improving a business’ capital, business opportunities, depth of business relationships and operational capacity. BBIF calls this type of development, “Smart Growth For Your Business”.

Our Goals
The BBIF is primarily engaged in projects and activities that have an economic, community development impact, and educational focus including but not limited to the following:

• Acting as a business investment corporation providing direct loans, guarantees, subordinated debt, equity and other capital products
• Promoting and obtaining contributions by financial institutions and others to create a capital fund for business loans and investments
• Fostering opportunities for businesses which will develop job opportunities for job seekers
• Assisting in the establishment of training and educational programs which will assist in preparing business plans, setting up marketing, management, and accounting systems, maximizing productivity and raising capital and loan funds for business development
• Being an advocate for small business development and growth