Helping event vendors go big

In September of 2023, about 30,000 people enjoyed a re-imagination of South Bend’s famous Ethnic Festival. Over 2 days, more than 50 musical acts and 50 food vendors celebrated every region of the world.

Organizers spotted a challenge early on: how can small businesses be brought into such a large event quickly, when the typical application process for a small-business loan takes too long? We knew it would be huge and that it would create lots of opportunities and we needed to help food vendors get ready, and quickly!

Robyn and Jairo, co-owners of A Bite with Mee, bring Korean-Mexican fusion to life. Using their line of credit, they invested in a grinder to craft authentic corn tortillas from scratch and built their credit history to successfully launch their very own food truck.

Streamlined Credit Application

To make it easier for small businesses to secure capital, CDFI Friendly South Bend partnered with Allies for Community Business and the City of South Bend to create the Fusion Fest pilot program – a streamlined application process for a small business line of credit.

With this program, vendors were able to avoid jumping through many of the hoops found in more typical loan applications and secure up to a $2,500 line of credit quickly. Vendors were able to use the capital to purchase supplies or acquire equipment in preparation for the event.

What’s more, the 12-month line of credit may be used throughout a year, enabling borrowers to continually build their credit history and be better positioned for larger loan amounts in the future.

Fusion Fest Fund Info Flyer: PDF

Sam Centellas, CDFI Friendly Director, and South Bend Mayor James Mueller cut ribbon with Robyn and Jairo for the A Bite with Mee food truck on September 3, 2024.

2024 and Beyond

The 2023 pilot program was a success, and each year we have tweaked and improved the program. Watch the Fusion Fest page for details on applying to be a vendor, and let us know if you have questions on our program.

If you are an event organizer in northern Indiana and would like to help local vendors engage with your event, contact us to explore developing a similar program in your community.