More commonly referred to as WHIDC (pronounced "WIDIK"), this not-for-profit local development corporation was organized in 1978 to serve the residents and businesses in the Washington Heights and Inwood section of northern Manhattan. Map and Contact Info

The BO$$ Micro Business Loan Program has made 361 loans totaling over $5,120,000 since the loan program’s inception in 1995. BO$$ loans range from $400 to $50,000. Two thirds of these loans have gone to small storefront businesses with the balance going to street vendors, and in-home businesses. A third of our loans go to start-up businesses. Of the loans to individuals, 96% have gone to minority- and over 40% went to women-owned businesses. These loans have created over 393 full-time jobs and 127 new businesses in our community. We are one of the most active and successful micro business lenders in New York City. WHIDC is a United States Treasury Department Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

Child Care Business Development (CCBDP)
Childcare is a major growth industry in our community. Despite the need for such services, most childcare providers fail due to their lack of business skills. To address this, we provide business development services to home- and center-based providers in Upper Manhattan. The program includes a 22-session Spanish-language classroom training seminar that assists enrollees with marketing skills, accounting systems, finance, taxes, contracts, liability issues and success planning. Upon graduation, participants receive one-on-one business counseling and assistance in securing grants and BO$$ loans. The program has completed fourteen cycles, graduating 216 providers, who have opened 136 new childcare businesses, and created 128 new jobs and 594 new childcare slots in our community. Their average incomes have risen from a rate of just over $18,000/yr to over $34,000 within one year of graduation. During 2010, alone, Program graduates started 15 new businesses and created 22 new full-time jobs and 68 new childcare slots in our community. Our fifteenth cycle of training started in February, 2010.