[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6571653,"mediaKeyId","3151418-bb4145862008e244fe36a7f66b9aa3eb","parentId",3151418,"title","Board members propose workshops, bank partnerships and newsletter to boost applicant readiness","audioSeconds",1084,"startMs",2615000,"endMs",3699000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3151418-bb4145862008e244fe36a7f66b9aa3eb&start=2615&end=3699","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3151418-bb4145862008e244fe36a7f66b9aa3eb/thumbnail_2615000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6571653/Dallas/Dallas-County/Texas/Board-members-propose-workshops-bank-partnerships-and-newsletter-to-boost-applicant-readiness","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571653-12e56e1aec7fbf2a5bd268ad72b9f2c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775708351&Signature=b-wni9HTNjXg4ZZ-jco535fQ-Z5BYFiO1DgfRQisEuPiTZzOGYMAQhKvdbIzqZN1aQx0tadVEdtbrhAD07ZGkKVPE3VbVdXZBB-EC5E8Zn8EiNy-dd9MrHGGfVkaO~~M8rL8HJLeCGsQJYRRERDLoSMnu98yjFGEGfav29rtysRHAf1IRibU15P~DuRbR9EZ2Kkmu05aZJRlmIgHQ4ItTM7-UFxU2yGQfdngWO6po799l5Pv1I8uy~yUh49zhXhAukv~Y1cuTLHM-wBu6SJXo6XT2wrCOgu3BWQq72JdRAywQeg~xy0NxH4VU~obuD0olPF--d1sXtEKx1PgiAb5Zw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dallas","date","2025-04-28T00:00:00Z","article","Board members discussed outreach and subcommittee activity at the April 28 meeting and proposed steps to improve applicant readiness for both NOFA grants and economic-development loans.

Cece Encarnacion (marketing/business development subcommittee) described meetings with local organizations that provide business education and financial counseling and argued the board should leverage existing resources rather than recreate them. She suggested warm referrals to programs at local banks and community partners, curating a regular newsletter to publicize training and application-help opportunities, hosting low-barrier events at community bank locations, and creating \"accountability buddy\" pairings or recurring workshop time so entrepreneurs complete application materials. \"A lot of time I heard multiple times that entrepreneurs, small businesses require lots of follow ups when they're kind of in a development stage,\" she said.

Chairwoman Kimberly Sims offered to help with quick-turnaround graphics and materials: she said she has design tools and can assist staff when rapid production is needed. Staff said they are exploring a dedicated small-business portal and a website refresh that is expected to go live by late summer. Heather (Office of Economic Development) said the department currently has two small-business staff, anticipates partnering with Dallas College and can use city communications for graphics, but that the department does not have budget for a full-time marketing person.

Board members and staff discussed practical next steps: compiling a contact list of past applicants and interested parties, holding recurring informational sessions, and using partners such as Vista Bank, Comerica and local entrepreneurship media to publicize events and training. Staff said Nicholas is working on a contact list in Salesforce to capture interactions and that staff can circulate subcommittee notes to the full board.

Why it matters: Board members said better outreach and structured, repeated training will create a stronger, more evaluable applicant pool and reduce repeated back-and-forth during application completeness reviews.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Dallas - South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund Regular Board Meeting - Apr 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Members of the South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund Board described outreach and partner-based ideas to help prospective applicants prepare stronger economic-development and NOFA proposals; staff said a website refresh and a one-stop small-business portal are in development and the department has two small-business staff.","taxTitle","Dallas, Dallas County, Texas","taxId",2781,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6571658,"City staff outlines South Dallas Fair Park economic-development loan process, underwriting, and board role",721,1094000,1815000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3151418-bb4145862008e244fe36a7f66b9aa3eb&start=1094&end=1815","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3151418-bb4145862008e244fe36a7f66b9aa3eb/thumbnail_1094000.jpg","/articles/6571658/Dallas/Dallas-County/Texas/City-staff-outlines-South-Dallas-Fair-Park-economic-development-loan-process-underwriting-and-board-role","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571658-693d1751ff1f6ca3d4fea5b0b93a5b3a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775708351&Signature=hdfeg-J9CCT71dEfthUpiZHEGUC9pMVnw7imBu1bDOVfx7RWW90yp0qEsO7hpjuvVVQWPXQq92Ozt0JF6keVW2nEGT8H91XCAiwROF5dG5iUUDs39LT1JhPrFZDH0WFnpj~n0MLDCBnL5k0R6ZRoJMzJXoRrMsln7auv4Fo3ChCtuKBuabS3D96L0gX62iZX4-k2-kTO2w7KMeoTj8Ss85zPOWnXFnOtQOC-kIaU~k8BnNjKHbijqLRIqxGkCns6kzMeCL1tK-7SEjn-qk-hyT5U-nSxG92p1XDbhV6PM6rGh3XXdoltYlGetOxqzYZ-UoqNgshSbq8ys2eeMAm8uQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Office of Economic Development staff walked the South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund Board through the economic-development loan pipeline process at the April 28 meeting, explaining how applications move from initial contact to underwriting, offer letters and final approvals.

Staff member Heather (Office of Economic Development) said the office begins with an initial meeting to assess project readiness, then works with applicants to submit a complete application. If a project best fits existing, formulaic programs such as the small-business assistance program or an \"as-of-right\" tax abatement, staff can approve administratively without sending the matter to underwriting. More complex real-estate projects that require deeper subsidy or a negotiated incentive are referred to an underwriter. \"Our underwriter is Grow America, which is a national CDFI that does a lot of small-business lending and community development lending,\" Heather said, adding that Grow America is formally the National Development Council but has changed its name.

Heather outlined the typical workflow after underwriting: staff issue an offer letter that sets terms and conditions; the applicant may negotiate and countersign that offer; and only once terms are agreed will staff pursue the necessary approvals. She said administrative approvals are used for many projects in the target area: projects under $1 million located in a target area may be approved administratively by the city manager's office with legal review from the city attorney. For projects over $1 million, staff said City Council approval is required. Heather said that projects outside a target area have a lower Council threshold: $100,000.

Board members asked where the board fits in the timeline. Heather said the board's formal recommendation happens after an executed offer letter and before administrative or City Council approvals; she described the offer letter as \"contingent\" on subsequent approvals so that the board's action comes on projects for which staff and the applicant have agreement in principal. Board members may also move to send a project to Council for public consideration even if it otherwise qualifies for administrative approval; any such change requires a board vote.

Brady Flannery of the Dallas Attorney's Office told members that ethics questions — for example, whether a board member has a disqualifying financial interest in a project — can be routed to the Office of Inspector General for an advisory opinion. Heather confirmed staff can accept conflict-check questions routed through her office or members may contact the inspector general's office directly.

Staff also explained post-approval contracting and disbursement: contracts are disbursed on a reimbursement basis; staff and finance review draw packets (often requiring 2–3 weeks of internal review), then accounts payable processes payment (typically another 30 days). Heather said the overall reimbursement timeline is generally 30–45 days, and the office is moving to quarterly draws for NOFA grants to reduce repetitive review workload.

Why it matters: The presentation described where board review and voting fit in practical steps that determine whether and how projects receive city loans, the thresholds for administrative vs. council approval, and how the city manages underwriting, contracts and reimbursements.","Office of Economic Development staff described the steps from initial contact through underwriting to approvals for economic-development loans, explained underwriting by Grow America (formerly National Development Council), administrative vs. City Council approval thresholds, and how the board fits into offer and approval steps.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6571662,"South Dallas Fair Park NOFA: 11 applications advance to scoring; board to decide awards May 19",72,297000,369000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3151418-bb4145862008e244fe36a7f66b9aa3eb&start=297&end=369","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3151418-bb4145862008e244fe36a7f66b9aa3eb/thumbnail_297000.jpg","/articles/6571662/Dallas/Dallas-County/Texas/South-Dallas-Fair-Park-NOFA-11-applications-advance-to-scoring-board-to-decide-awards-May-19","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571662-b9594dafacf467634cd4c5694c56e8cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1775708351&Signature=EDjvE30F6BXP2rqA0PQBQ0VvuDNNyIpRMfSArxI3oBrF4uvtJ2giSscJwkvik-1y183G~Zgp85cx1nUuDOJJ4uKTcROHniecqINpwgjpTx3sKNcj1ebZRzMRh-WiMAsUJjUqxrkqck5xGw~RU1Swas-1ctEaivj3-jArwKvtAvIr7PYCBpl0MRNo4ROZZV99yw7XBOj09jZv7XA1wheduBAxGLj08OgIzjFsErosSbd~mko5gs6ii1uGW0qrGrSdjN-bilTZj4h~iFCT0fSt1Dd9J6ClNYCRJhyGUMEXOv8GLITJWJ65UdABX~YS6USueSzkux1lWHkPcE6ISvAB3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leander T. Johnson, chair of the South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund Board, heard an update April 28 from Office of Economic Development staff on the recent Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for human development projects.

Nicholas (staff, Office of Economic Development) said the NOFA closed March 21 and staff completed a preliminary eligibility review shortly afterward. Following a review for completeness, 11 applications passed a second review and moved into a scoring phase conducted with the Communities Foundation of Texas. \"We currently have 11 applications that made it through the second review, which have now moved to the scoring phase,\" Nicholas said. He told the board staff expect scoring to be complete by May 2 and that a comprehensive review package will be distributed to board members by close of business on May 9.

The board will discuss and decide award recommendations on May 19. Nicholas told members staff will present only the applications that scored at least an 80; the board will then consider funding amounts and whether all applicants that scored above the threshold should receive awards. Board members were instructed to send clarifying questions about packet materials directly to Nicholas in advance of the May 19 meeting so staff can prepare answers. One member suggested sending questions by May 16 to ensure staff can compile responses for the board meeting.

Board members asked about the role of the Communities Foundation of Texas in the process; Nicholas clarified the foundation is assisting with independent scoring only and did not perform the preliminary eligibility review. The board discussed internal procedures for reviewing applicants once the packet is delivered, including that staff will include each applicant's requested funding amount alongside scores for member review.

No public speakers were registered for the meeting.

Votes at a glance: The board approved the minutes from the March 31 meeting (motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved). The meeting adjournment motion passed at the end of the session (motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved).

Why it matters: The NOFA awards fund human-development projects in the South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund area. The board's May 19 decisions will determine which applicants receive limited local funding and in what amounts.","Office of Economic Development staff told the South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund Board that 11 applications passed a second review and moved into scoring with the Communities Foundation of Texas; scoring is expected to finish May 2 and the board will receive a packet by May 9 ahead of a May 19 award decision.","actionData","errors"]

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Board members propose workshops, bank partnerships and newsletter to boost applicant readiness

City staff outlines South Dallas Fair Park economic-development loan process, underwriting, and board role

South Dallas Fair Park NOFA: 11 applications advance to scoring; board to decide awards May 19