For businesses interested in applying to the Fund, please review the following basic eligibility criteria:

• Business is based and primarily operating in the U.S.

• Company grows, processes, or sources soil-based natural fibers, leather, or natural dye materials.

• Materials are grown/harvested/produced using sustainable, regenerative, or other environmentally beneficial practices.

• >50% of materials/fibers are grown in the U.S. If supply is NOT available, financing would be used to increase the purchase of U.S. soil-based fibers, textiles, leather, or natural dyes.

If these basic criteria are met, the Fund considers additional impact areas, including:

• Business works to close opportunity gaps for those from global majority communities.

• Company demonstrates progress towards democratic and/or cooperative workplace principles and committment to distributing power in the workplace.

• Business demonstrates work towards environmental and cultural equity.

• The business has struggled to access traditional forms of capital, or is part of a demographic group that has historically been denied access to conventional bank financing. Support from the Fibers Fund would help close capital gaps; i.e., investment from the fund has the potential to de-risk the business in such a way that it would be attractive for other capital providers to provide funding.

*See our glossary for how we’re defining many of these terms.