2020 ANNUAL REPORT

Navigating an unforgettable year. 

Just as we advanced to a virtual setting in dedication to supporting no missed opportunties for our clients, we're sharing our meaningful 2020 impacts in a new and dynamic way. 

MISSION | To provide lending solutions and learning programs that propel the creation, development, and growth of underserved small businesses, affordable housing and sustainable communities.

IMPACTS

We believe capital and capacity building are the keys to unlocking opportunity for communities where people and places can prosper. In 2020, our lending solutions and learning programs helped our clients navigate the uncertainty while staying true to our mission,  vision and values.

CAPACITY

COVID RESPONSE

Our partners stepped in with new, meaningful ways to help us support area small business owners through the pandemic. Pathway delivered small business economic recovery grants through partners like the Truist Foundation and Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County. In 2020 alone, Pathway awarded $5.625 Million in Metro Cares Grants to Davidson County businesses. Truist also responded quickly to the well-being of small businesses, and partnered with Pathway to award funds to under-resourced businesses, which totaled nearly $377,000.

Pathway undertook a proactive loan deferral and technical assistance program to stabilize the outstanding loan portfolio and support our clients to adapt to the sudden change caused by the pandemic. The support of our education, lending, and credit teams resulted in strong portfolio performance as evidenced by a .89% loan loss

rate in 2020.

When the pandemic forced Martha Lupai's salon of ten years, S&E African Hair Braiding, to close its doors temporarily, Martha pivoted. With her freed up time she decided to create the all-natural perfume line with essential oils she long ago envisioned for her line of natural hair and body care products, Neta’s Naturals. With a loan from Pathway, Martha purchased the aluminum bottles she needed to package and distribute her new fragrance line, Fate.

LENDING ACTIVITIES

Pathway serves underserved target markets across Tennessee and through a year of uncertainty, supported small businesses, commercial real estate and multifamily affordable housing. In 2020, we launched COVID emergency response and ReStart loan products, expanded the 504 loan program, and offered our largest Energy Efficiency deal in our program history. 

LEARNING PROGRAMS

Pathway has strategically expanded services through our Women's Business Center (WBC) and Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC), developed new programs and partnerships, and invested in technology to deliver our learning programs to entrepreneurs across the region, on Pathway Learning. The launch of our e-learning platform has supported our ability to reach more clients and supported 10,042 classroom hours in 2020.  

VIRTUAL LEARNING

In 2020 Pathway Launched Pathway Learning, a single online destination where entrepreneurs can access the same great classes, cohorts, coaching, advisory services and mentors from Pathway WBC and Veterans Business Outreach Center plus powerful new on-demand content, accessible anytime.

Pathway quickly mobilized listening sessions in March 2020 to understand the real-time needs of entrepreneurs during the first wave of COVID-related business closures and assited entrepreneurs to plan through the uncertain times and pivot. 

PARTNER COHORTS

Pathway Lending developed this six-week training program to equip new and established developers seeking to add small, multifamily projects to their portfolios with the skills and knowledge they need for a successful start.  Pathway partned with Waddell Wright, CCIM, CPM, founder and president of W. Wright & Co. to instruct this session!

Pathway partnered with Conexion Americas and launched a 5-week virtual cohort, Make It On Etsy, to support business owners get up and running on Etsy's online global marketplace. This cohort trained creative entrepreneurs to pivot and sell their wares online with fellow entrepreneurs.

PROGRAMMING

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

2020 was a year of resiliency, and Pathway Lending stepped up to meet gaps in the marketplace for small businesses. Our team rose to the occassion to meet our mission of 'no missed opportunities' by launching new lending solutions and learning programs to support entrepreneurs following Nashville's March 3 tornadoes and through the pandemic. Pathway's ReStart initative offered rapid loan funds and virtual coaching, while Pathway Learning, our new, e-learning platform, provided a single online destination for entrepreneurs to access mentoring. The flexibility of our team to shift to a remote workplace allowed us to best serve our clients and small business owners across our target markets.

-Clint Gwin, President & CEO

FINANCIALS

Our financial strength and track record of portfolio performance positioned Pathway to respond quickly to the needs of our clients through the pandemic. We continued to support the small businesses we work with and stabilized the outstanding loan portfolio, evidenced by a .89% loan loss rate in 2020. The strength of Pathway Lending allowed our team to be agile and responsive in our mission to support the preservation, development and growth of our communities. 

STAKEHOLDERS

Pathway's growing partner network of 70+ institutions supports our expansion into key markets across Tennessee. When COVID interrupted businesses seemingly overnight, pivotal partnerships supported our efforts to address the needs of our small business clients. Our key stakeholders in navigating 2020 were Appalachian Community Capital, JPMorgan Chase & Co, PNC, Truist and Wells Fargo. 

FOUNDATIONS & PUBLIC STAKEHOLDERS

Alabama Department of Economic & Community Affairs
Appalachian Regional Commission
Association of Women’s Business Centers
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (US Department of Treasury)
Epicenter Memphis
Foundation For The Carolinas (Bank of America)
Joe C. Davis Foundation
JPMorgan Chase Foundation

Metropolitan Development & Housing Agency (Nashville, TN)

Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County
PNC Bank
Regions Bank CDC
Regions Foundation
Tennessee Bankers Association
Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development
Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation
Tennessee Department of Revenue

Tennessee Department of Treasury Small and Minority-Owned Business Assistance Program

Tennessee Housing Development Agency
Tennessee Valley Authority
Truist Foundation
United Way of Metropolitan Nashville
University of Tennessee
US Department of Agriculture
US Small Business Administration
Wells Fargo Foundation
The Women’s Fund –
Community Foundation of
Middle TN

PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS

Appalachian Community Capital
Andrew Johnson Bank
Bank of America
BBVA/Compass
CapStar Bank
CB&S Bank
Centennial Bank
Citizens Bank (Carthage)
Citizens Bank (Elizabethton)
City National Bank
Commercial Bank and
Trust
Decatur County Bank
F&M Bank (Clarksville)

Fifth Third Bank

First Citizens National Bank
First Community Bank
of East TN
First Horizon
FirstBank
Fourth Capital
INSBANK
Legends Bank
Macon Bank and Trust
Company
McKenzie Banking Company
Paragon Bank
Peoples Bank
Pinnacle Bank

Regions Bank

Reliant Bank
Renasant Bank
Security Bank and Trust
Company
Simmons Bank
Synovus Bank
Tennessee State Bank
TriStar Bank
Truist Bank
Truxton Trust
US Bank
Wells Fargo Bank
Wilson Bank & Trust
Woodforest National Bank

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

TOM HUNTER

President, American Heritage Trees

DAVE BEREZOV

Associate Professor, Vanderbilt
University School of Engineering

HERB BYRD

VP for Public Service, University

ofTennessee

IVANETTA DAVIS-SAMUELS

Senior VP - General Counsel Meharry Medical College

JON DAVIES

Compliance Executive - CMS, CRA & HMDA, Regions Bank

ANDRE GIST

CEO, MIG LLC and CEO, B-G Innovative Safety Systems

CINDY HERRON

Director, Energy Efficiency & Demand Response - TVA

HUGH QUEENER

EVP & CAO, Pinnacle

Financial Partners

Pathway Lending

We're glad you're here and want to get you to the right place!

If you are a small business in Nashville or Davidson County, you may be eligible for a 2%-interest loan with the Nashville Small Business Recovery Fund (NSBRF).

Tell me more about NSBRF loans          I'm here to inquire about other Pathway loans