b'Core CompetenciesBuilding Rural Economies (BRE)I had never done any formal business business coachingplanning. The SBA had given me some Building Rural Economies business coaching accelerated in fiscal year 2021.forms to put down things like my Fifty-five businesses/entrepreneursthree- and five-year business plans, benefited, and 20 participants receivedbut Bo [Blodgett] came along and coaching in tandem with their Reemerging Loan Fund (RELieF) loan.really reverse-engineered it. He had a RELieF pairs low-interest loans withno BS approach and helped find places one-on-one business coaching for every borrower to address strategic pivots thatwhere my financial planning needed many businesses needed to make duringmore. He was really helpful. and after the pandemic. The coaching includes a strategic business evaluation to determine if pre-pandemic businessSelf-Help Housing Development Solutionsmodels need to change. RCACs Homeownership SolutionsThe Development Solutions program Small business owner Michael Blechaprogram works with grantees in theworks with organizations that develop received a Paycheck Protection Programwestern United States to successfullyand manage multifamily rental housing. (PPP) loan, and later a RELieF loan coupledproduce single-family financed housingRCACs team successfully partnered with with business coaching, from RCAC Ruralunder the Mutual Self-Help Housinglocal organizations on two affordable Development Specialist Bo Blodgett. program. COVID-19 widely impacted Self- housing projects, Wingate Subdivision Help production in FY2021. Most builds Moab, Utah, and Meadowlark Vista I had never done any formal businesstake longer due to fewer volunteers,ApartmentsRonan, Montana, to create planning. The SBA had given me somedelays in materials and subcontractors,46 new housing units, despite escalating forms to put down things like my three-skyrocketing costs and shutdownsmaterials costs and COVID impacts.and five-year business plans, but Boor owner builder quarantines. Self-[Blodgett] came along and really reverse- Paycheck Protection Programengineered it. He had a no BS approachHelp grantees focused on developing solutions for COVID related constructionIn 2021, RCAC continued processing PPP and helped find places where mycost overruns, ordering early, changingloans, closing 209 total. financial planning needed more. He wasbuilding materials and adjusting house really helpful," Blecha said. plans. Even faced with these challenges, self-help participants completed 407 new homes and rehabilitated 62 homes.2021 Rural Community Assistance Corporation Annual Report 3'