New name, same purpose:

Mill Cities Community Investments + Foundation for Business Equity have become Nectar Community Investments.

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2022 Nonprofit Excellence in Innovation Award

The Foundation for Business Equity is excited to share that we have been recognized by Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) as their 2022 Excellence in Innovation Award Winner. Every year, MNN honors the passion and impact of nonprofit professionals and organizations in the state’s nonprofit sector with the Nonprofit Excellence Awards presented by Citizens. The Nonprofit Excellence Awards are presented to six nonprofit organizations and employees that exemplify the most innovative, creative, and effective work being done throughout the Commonwealth. We are extremely honored for this recognition and congratulate the other winners as well! See full list of winners here.

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We are hiring for a Small Business Lending Director

We’re excited to grow our team and welcome a thoughtful, mission-driven leader into the role of Small Business Lending Director. This newly created position plays a key role in our next phase of growth, leading day-to-day lending operations, managing portfolio performance, and expanding access to capital for small businesses across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. If you’re passionate about supporting entrepreneurs, strengthening local economies, and advancing financial equity, we’d love to hear from you. Download Job Description

Climate action in the community: A conversation with Nectar’s Lissette Paukert

The Nectar Community Investments residential team recently attended the 2025 MassEnergize Conference, which proved to be a thoughtful and impactful event full of advocacy, connection, and shared commitment to climate action at the community level. Residential Services Director Lissette Paukert spoke on a panel about funding residential decarbonization, joining representatives from Mass Save, the Community Climate Bank and Abode to talk about ways we can make energy efficiency upgrades more accessible and affordable for Massachusetts residents. Here are a few of her insights from the conversation. What are the biggest challenges Nectar clients face in pursuing decarbonization projects? These days, we see some fear of financial uncertainty and a lack of trust in the energy industry due to aggressive, predatory-like marketing behaviors. That’s also due to divisiveness and misinformation in our current environment, including whether climate change is real and if decarbonization efforts even matter. When you have limited cash flow, you invest carefully in products that are going to last and not cause issues. There needs to be clear and truthful messaging around the impact of decarbonization, from both an economic and environmental perspective. Not only do homeowners need education, but it’s just as important that the contractors and all professionals …

Nectar Community Investments officially launches in Rhode Island

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for Nectar’s official launch in Rhode Island. We’re thrilled to be working in the Ocean State, and engaging with the entrepreneurs, ecosystem partners and other attendees at the event boosted our sense of excitement and community.  Since our founding in Massachusetts in 2008, we’ve made it our mission to invest in community and build generational wealth. We’re continuing that commitment in Rhode Island — today, tomorrow and well into the future. This launch event was only the beginning! We’re looking forward to working together, supporting dedicated small business owners, and collaborating with ecosystem partners to build on their successful efforts throughout the state.

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In accordance with federal laws and U.S. Department of the Treasury policy, this organization is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

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