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HAZLETON — Since its founding in 1956, CAN DO has helped hundreds of businesses connect with state and local agencies and has assisted companies with obtaining grants and loans to finance equipment upgrades or expansion projects.

CAN DO understands that financial assistance often plays an integral role in the success of a project or growth of a business.

In its role as a Certified Economic Development Organization for Luzerne County, CAN DO is responsible for the oversight, planning and procurement of state funding and other incentives for the organization and the clients it serves. The Economic Development department directly impacts CAN DO as an organization through securing project funding and forward-thinking economic development initiatives.

“CAN DO acts as a liaison between businesses and service providers and tailors solutions to fit our clients’ needs,” CAN DO Economic Development Specialist Charles McElwee III said. “Our staff assists clients in identifying the appropriate comprehensive funding resources that leverage federal, state, regional and local funding. We guide companies through all stages of the financing process, beginning with an overview of available funding packages. We ultimately help businesses navigate the application process for financing opportunities.”

CAN DO’s staff has experience assisting clients across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, food processing, logistics and the small business sector. The organization guides companies through all stages of the financing process and facilitates a wide range of loans and technical assistance to businesses of all shapes and sizes.

The business financing team at CAN DO works to help companies secure access to the capital they need through the procurement of low-interest loans, grants and other services that help businesses create and retain jobs.

CAN DO works closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, whose mission is to foster opportunities for businesses to grow and for communities to succeed and thrive in a global economy. In addition to its primary responsibility for securing funding, CAN DO’s business financing team promotes best practices for community development.

A key component of this initiative is to support the continued development and revitalization of downtown Hazleton. CAN DO has played an important role in downtown Hazleton’s revitalization through not only direct investment and financial support, but also by securing Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority loans for historic commercial properties.

Throughout the past 62 years, CAN DO has become Greater Hazleton’s one-stop source for employers’ financing needs, whether they are looking for loans through local banks or assistance from government institutions.

For more information on financial assistance, contact CAN DO’s Economic Development department at 570-455-1508 or email [email protected].

By Bill O’Boyle

[email protected]

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.