Causes: Children & Youth, Economic Development, Microfinance, Small Business Development, Urban & Community Economic Development, Youth Development - Business

Mission: South of market foundation (urban solutions) was incorporated on may 9, 1992 in the state of california. South of market foundation's (urban solutions) mission is to foster the well-being of disadvantaged communities by helping to increase neighborhood commercial vitality, strengthen small businesses, create jobs and encourage diversity, and promote sustainability.

Programs: Neighborhood services: we design and implement main street commercial corridor revitalization efforts. Services include building rehabilitation management, helping businesses identify a space, negotiate a lease, and secure faade improvement grants. We also provide real estate brokerage services. In 2014-2015, achievements include securing leases for a roman pizzeria, hair salon, retail clothing store, custom-printed t-shirts, a bakery and community center in the central market and tenderloin districts. We also helped a popular restaurant to complete necessary kitchen upgrades to remain in good standing with the health department. We continue to provide lease negotiation and permit assistance in these critical neighborhood districts.

business services we provide individual technical assistance consulting and community workshops to help small businesses get started and grow. This includes business plan development, loan packaging, financial literacy, financial management and recordkeeping, credit repair counseling, access to capital, marketing strategies, human resources, and access to legal assistance. In 2014-2015, we provided legal and banking office hours that helped 55 small businesses receive free legal and financial advice; continued the enterprising women program to 25 women completing the program, provided technology for small business workshops for over 30 individual participants, and helped businesses with loan packaging with 6 businesses receiving loans/financial assistance.