Southern Good Faith Fund (SGFF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit affiliate of Southern Bancorp (Southern), a multi-bank holding company with operations in Arkansas and Mississippi. The Southern family of companies includes three banks – Delta Southern Bank in Ruleville, Mississippi; Elk Horn Bank in Arkadelphia, Arkansas; and First Bank of the Delta in Helena-West Helena, Arkansas – and four development affiliates – Southern CDC, Southern Good Faith Fund, and Southern Financial Partners.

SGFF’s affiliation with Southern, its subsidiary banks, and its other affiliate nonprofits allows SGFF to be part of a comprehensive effort of community and economic development in South and East Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta. SGFF began in 1988 as a program of Southern Financial Partners. SGFF obtained its nonprofit status in 2002 and added "Southern” to its name in 2004 to better identify itself with Southern and their community development efforts.

SGFF’s original mission was modeled after the microloan program of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Over the years, this mission evolved to include a multi-faceted approach. In the mid 1990s, we realized that business ownership was not the solution for everyone; many residents needed increased skills to compete for jobs that could support their families. Federal welfare reform legislation also inspired our expansion into workforce development and our decision to start a policy program to increase the impact of our mission beyond direct service. Finally, toward the late 1990s, we expanded our strategies for helping low income families reach financial security and growth by incorporating a focus on asset development. SGFF now operates four programs:  Asset Builders, Business Development Center, Career Pathways, and Public Policy. 

Our reputation for helping low income families achieve positive financial outcomes in a difficult economic environment continues. In 2004, SGFF was named the Nonprofit of the Year by the Arkansas Business newspaper. 

In 2007, Southern Good Faith Fund was recognized in FAMILIES COUNT: The National Honors Program by the Annie E. Casey Foundation as one of four organizations helping America's most vulnerable children have what they need most: strong, capable, and economically successful families.

Angela Duran, President of Southern Good Faith Fund was named Nonprofit Executive of the Year at the 2006 Arkansas Business of the Year Awards. Duran and her staff also worked with Southeast Arkansas College at Pine Bluff in developing a model Career Pathways program, which helps move low-income adults up the career ladder through educational programs, letting them combine school and work and advance to better jobs. The state is now working with all 22 two-year colleges on Career Pathways.

Now administered by SGFF, The Power to Care is a community-based fuel fund program, established by Entergy Arkansas 25 years ago, that provides financial assistance to qualified low-income disabled and elderly customers who need help paying their utility bills during emergency situations.  We work in partnership with 18 community agencies in 62 counties to process applications for The Power to Care assistance.  When a household is determined to be eligible for a grant, the funds are credited directly to their Entergy bill.