DAIS Impact Center

08/19/2026

Get Up to $100K to Grow Your Business | Strive for 35 Webinar

GET THE CAPITAL YOU NEED — UP TO $100,000

Are you ready to grow your business and position your company for new opportunities?

Join FSC First and Washington Gas for the Strive for 35 Fund Webinar, an exciting virtual event designed for small businesses across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

Discover how the Strive for 35 Loan Fund can provide access to up to $100,000 in capital, along with technical assistance and business support to help your company prepare for opportunities within the natural gas industry and related sectors.

📅 Wednesday, August 26, 2026
⏰ 11:00 AM
💻 Online Webinar

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Strive for 35 Loan Fund opportunities and available financing
Eligibility requirements and who can apply
What you need to prepare a strong application
Step-by-step application guidance
Available technical assistance and business support

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Small businesses located in D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia, including companies in:
Construction • Engineering • Hauling • Catering • Marketing • Legal & Professional Services • Related Industries

REGISTER TODAY
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fsc-first-and-washington-gas-strive-for-35-fund-webinar-tickets-1998218432121?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/03/2026

DAIS Impact Center is proud to share an important development opportunity for Maryland’s aspiring and emerging real estate developers.

The Fall 2026 Develop the Developer℠ Academy, presented by HomeFree-USA in partnership with Freddie Mac, is an intensive five-day, in-person experience focused primarily on multifamily real estate development.

Participants will gain practical instruction and hands-on experience in:

🏗️ The real estate development process
📊 Development budgets, sources and uses, and pro formas
🏦 Bank loans, financing, and capital access
🔨 Construction and contractor management
🏘️ Property management and business development
🤝 Building relationships with lenders, developers, and industry professionals

We are especially proud that DAIS founder Tisa J.D. Clark will serve as the Academy’s Lead Instructor and Coach, helping participants move their projects from planning toward financing and ex*****on.

Academy Dates:
October 21–23, 2026
October 26–27, 2026

Capstone:
November 13, 2026

Only 30 participants will be selected.

Learn more and apply:
https://maryland-multifamily-launchpad.lovable.app/

HomeFree-USA Freddie Mac Tisa JD Clark Tisa JD Clark

Join Maryland's premier 5-day real estate development academy for emerging multifamily developers. October 21-23 & 26-27, 2026 in the Baltimore Metro area.

07/06/2026

🚨 We are excited to share that Tisa JD Clark's thought leadership article has been published by Small News!

Stop Teaching Entrepreneurship—Start Building Infrastructure

After decades of working with entrepreneurs, government agencies, CDFIs, nonprofits, and business owners, I've reached a simple conclusion:

Entrepreneurs don't need more information. They need better infrastructure.

Workshops and seminars have value—but information alone doesn't create sustainable businesses. Real growth happens when entrepreneurs have access to:

✔️ Systems that drive ex*****on
✔️ Accountability that creates momentum
✔️ Access to capital, contracts, and opportunity
✔️ Communities that support long-term success

This perspective has been shaped by my own entrepreneurial journey, my work through The J.D. Clark Companies, and the incredible community I've found over the past three years as a SLAPster with Silver Lining. That experience reinforced something I had already begun to see in my own work: success is built through disciplined ex*****on, not information overload.

The article also reflects the vision behind the DAIS Impact Center—creating an ecosystem where entrepreneurs don't simply learn about business; they build businesses that create jobs, strengthen communities, and generate lasting economic impact.

I'm grateful to the team at Small News for providing a platform to share this perspective.

📖 I'd love for you to read the article and let me know your thoughts:

https://small.news/2026/06/29/stop-teaching-entrepreneurship/

Question for you: What's the biggest gap you see in today's small business support ecosystem—education, access, accountability, or something else?

I've sat in rooms full of aspiring entrepreneurs, notebooks filling with ideas. I've also watched many leave inspired but not equipped.

04/20/2026

🚨 If you’ve ever struggled to explain your business to a lender… this is for you.

Access to capital doesn’t just come from having a good business…
It comes from knowing how to communicate it clearly, confidently, and strategically.

I’m partnering with FSC First and the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women Alumnae Network to lead a powerful session:

🎯 Perfecting Your Pitch: Mastering the Art of Funding Conversations

This is not just about pitching…
It’s about understanding how lenders think — and positioning your business to get a “yes.”

In this session, you’ll learn how to:
✔ Present your business with clarity and confidence
✔ Communicate your true value (beyond just the idea)
✔ Engage effectively with lenders, investors, and funding partners
✔ Structure a pitch that aligns with real capital decisions

📅 Monday, May 4, 2026
⏰ 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (EST)
💻 Virtual (Zoom)

🔗 Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/perfecting-your-pitch-mastering-the-art-of-funding-conversations-tickets-1987067467285?aff=oddtdtcreator

👉 If you’re serious about securing capital, this is a session you don’t want to miss.