The Enterprise Center at PathStone

PathStone Enterprise Center is the CDFI affiliate of Rochester-based non-profit, PathStone Corporation. PathStone Enterprise Center has operated since 1998 making small business loans from offices in Rochester, Buffalo and Ponce, Puerto Rico.

About

The PathStone Enterprise Center, Inc. (PECI) is a non-profit, 501(c) (3) regional Community Development Corporation organized in 1997 and certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in 1998.  PECI is the economic development and lending affiliate of PathStone Corporation with a service area that includes upstate New York and the western half of Puerto Rico. PECI is governed by a nine-member board, which is appointed by the PathStone Corporation board, but includes seven members who are outside directors.  PECI has a staff of 13 and an annual operating budget of $2.6 million. 

As we have expanded our training and outreach efforts in Buffalo and Rochester, we have also increased the number of minority startups in Rochester and Buffalo.  By 2020 approximately 40 percent of PECI’s small business borrowers were located within the cities of Rochester and Buffalo, another 40 percent were located in Puerto Rico and the remaining 20 percent were located in the rural areas around Buffalo and Rochester.

In the past four years, PECI has originated a total of 196 business loans totaling $8.1 million.  Over 75% of these loans and nearly 60% of the dollar value of the loans went to traditionally underserved borrowers.  These included:

African Americans borrowers:           46 loans totaling $1,399,310

Hispanic borrowers:                           63 loans totaling $1,688,992

Asian borrowers:                                8 loans totaling $404,658

Native American borrowers:             4 loans totaling $253,966

White female borrowers:                    31 loans totaling $1,099,445

PECI’s current small business portfolio holds 192 small business loans; 60 of them with businesses in the City of Rochester and 27 in the Buffalo area. 

-Nearly 2/3 of our Rochester and Buffalo loans are to minority-owned businesses.

-Over half of our Rochester and Buffalo loans are to women-owned businesses.

-More than half of these loans are to startups.

-Based on the borrower’s representations these loans resulted in the creation of 104 new jobs, and for existing businesses the retention of 179 jobs.

In addition to its small business lending, PECI’s business support efforts are primarily focused on supporting our existing borrowers and those who have applied for a loan with us, and also to increase the capacity of businesses owned by people of color.

Services Provided

Economic and Site Development

  • Economic Development
  • Revitalization

Business Planning

  • Business Plan Consulting (Specialty)
  • Forming a Business (Specialty)
  • Market Plan Development
  • Market Research

Financial Resources and Assistance

  • Accounting and Bookkeeping (Specialty)
  • Budget, Financial Statement and Cash Flow Training (Specialty)
  • Debt Funding (Specialty)
  • Equity Funding
  • Government Funding
  • Grant Funding
  • Loans (Specialty)
  • Microloans (Specialty)
  • Real Estate Finance

Internship Programs and Student Services

  • Internship and Co-op Programs
  • Student Marketing Projects
  • Youth Entrepreneurship Education

Marketing and Sales

  • Advertising/Brochure Design
  • Competitive Analysis
  • E-Commerce/Internet Marketing (Specialty)
  • Website Development (Specialty)

Mentoring

  • Formal Mentoring Programs
  • One-on-One Counseling (Specialty)
  • Peer Mentoring

Networking and Associations

  • Demographically Based
  • Geographically Based
  • Industry Specific
  • Small Business/General (Specialty)

Nonprofit and Social Enterprise

  • Accounting

Public Policy and Government Relations

  • African-American Business (Specialty)
  • Hispanic Business (Specialty)
  • Small Business Policy
  • State Business Issues (Specialty)
  • Women’s Business Issues (Specialty)

Selling to the Government and Large Corporations

  • Bid Matching and Preparation
  • Obtaining Certification
  • Obtaining Corporate Contracts
  • Obtaining Government Contracts
  • Subcontracting Opportunities

Starting a Business

  • Forming a Business (Specialty)
  • Registration, Licenses and Permits
  • Site Location
  • Startup Business Counseling (Specialty)
  • Startup Classes (Specialty)

Tax Services

  • State and Federal Tax Training

Technical Assistance

  • Bookkeeping/Accounting Software Training (Specialty)
  • Coding Schools, Bootcamps, Classes
  • Virtual Consulting and Online Services (Specialty)
  • Website Development (Specialty)

Training

  • Bookkeeping/Accounting Software Training (Specialty)
  • Budget, Cash Flow and Financial Statements Training (Specialty)
  • Business Management Training (Specialty)
  • Business Plan Training and Assistance
  • E-Commerce/Internet Marketing (Specialty)
  • Marketing Plan Training
  • Online Courses and Videos
  • Startup Classes (Specialty)

Events and Community Building

  • Neighborhood Fairs and Festivals
  • Pitch Events
Contact Information
Yahaira Zapata
Address
400 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14607