‘I Am Loveland’ Fund Helping Small Businesses in Loveland

The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt scores of businesses in every city and town. This fund in Loveland is being built to help small businesses during this time.

This is a great way to support your favorite small business and show your Loveland pride at the same time.

'I Am Loveland' is a campaign/fundraising effort underway to help Loveland's small businesses, whether you have just a few dollars or want to contribute more. The movement was founded by a collection of like-minded citizens who want to do their community some good.

The fund has a supply of 'I Am Loveland' items/swag that you can buy, with the net proceeds going to a small business of your choice as a grant - with that grant being matched by the fund as well.

The group has also teamed up with Live Loveland/Loveland Strategic Partnership, a local 501c3 organization who will be working as a fiscal agent, to help move the funds and aid the fund in matching donations. Those matching funds have been provided by local folks such as Martin Lind, the McWhinneys, and Curt Burgener.

For example, if you were to purchase an 'I Am Loveland' shirt for $25, after the cost of the shirt and processing, the remaining $12.50 would go to your designated locally-owned business, along with another $12.50 in matching funds for a total of $25 to that business.

You can also just make a monetary donation that will be matched, and you can choose to not select a specific business (that money would just go into the 'general' fund at that point.)

I spoke with the founder of 'I Am Loveland,' Andrea Samson, who added:

We like to look at these at 'micro-grants' for these businesses. [Money] to pay the gas bill, or keep the lights on.

We're also making it possible that folks can have money go to our local non-profits as well.

The first round of 'micro-grants' went out the week of May 4, 2020, to 72 small businesses in Loveland; they expect the second round to help 82-85, if not more.

You can get involved with I Am Loveland HERE.