SAVANNAH, Ga. () – A resource that offers underserved people in Savannah the chance to start a business closed Thursday with no warning to the employees or the entrepreneurs.

Those who worked at the Access to Capital Women’s Business Center (ACE-WBC) said they believe the closure was a result of a lack of federal funding.

“We were informed that it’s a possibility that this program would be eliminated and not be in the budget. However, the WBC as well as our sister organization, our host organization, did reassure us that it’s a possibility that we could continue on,” Former Program Director at ACE-WBC Savannah Vernell Stewart said. “I was hoping that we could actually weather the storm, but it looks like we just weren’t able to.”

The ACE-WBC was part of a network of centers that cater to those in low-income or minority populations. They’re funded through a variety of sources, including federal money funneled through the Small Business Administration.

However, now, with potential funding cuts looming according to employees, the Savannah ACE-WBC is closing permanently.

“Our WBC in Savannah was the educational arm so what we did is we provided business advisory services, training, all types of programs,” Stewart said.

The ACE-WBC also helped clients access to what are called character-based loans, loans that banks typically would not be able to fund.

“We really spent the last three years engaging our community, really learning and listening what the needs of the entrepreneurs are, which helped us create different programming that specifically addressed those needs,” Stewart said.

All services were offered free of charge to get new entrepreneurs’ businesses off the ground.

“You would not believe the products our local community have developed, the fact that these merchants will never see that unless they go out and do the things that we were doing,” Stewart said. “Being removed from the community at this point because we’ve spent so much time developing and cultivating these relationships is leaving a void that we came here to fill.”

The ACE-WBC had a series of upcoming events and workshops, which are still listed on their website.

Due to the center’s abrupt closure, former employees said they’re doing their best to notify clients.