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Operating Assets of Profitable Arts & Crafts Content Platform creativebug® Available for Acquisition

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Intellectual Property Advisory Firm Hilco Streambank Managing Sale Process
Bid Deadline: April 17, 2025

NEW YORK, April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hilco Streambank is seeking offers to acquire the operating assets of creativebug®, a profitable arts and crafts content creation and subscription-based distribution platform with existing enterprise and consumer customers.

Bids are due on or before April 17, 2025.

creativebug® provides all-access, on-demand learning experiences, allowing subscribers to explore thousands of professionally produced instructional videos for sewing, art, craft, and needle art. Classes cater to all skill levels, with expert-led lessons filmed and edited in-house in Berkeley, CA, ensuring high-quality content delivery.

Over the prior five fiscal years, creativebug® averaged over $1.2 million in annual adjusted EBITDA. The company generated more than $4 million in revenue in calendar year 2024. The platform serves over 25,000 consumer members and reaches more than 223,000 patrons across 1,200+ enterprise library systems.

Hilco Streambank CEO Gabe Fried commented, “creativebug® is a healthy, profitable business with a strong operating team, a dedicated consumer and enterprise customer base, and a robust digital content library.” Fried continued, “The enterprise membership program, launched in 2018, has proven to be an attractive model for the business and for subscribing libraries seeking high-quality, engaging content—and there remains a significant pipeline of qualified customers to convert. This opportunity should be attractive to operators in the maker community, content distribution platforms, digital media creators, craft suppliers, library content providers, and investors, and presents the opportunity to capitalize on a loyal subscriber base and fully operational business through an asset purchase.”

The sale of creativebug® is being conducted in connection with the bankruptcy of JOANN Inc., which, along with its affiliates, has entered into an agency agreement with GA Joann Retail Partnership, LLC and the prepetition term lenders, who have engaged Hilco Streambank to manage the sale.

Click here for more information. Interested parties may contact Hilco Streambank directly at Project+Thread@HilcoGlobal.com.

Gabe Fried

CEO

David Peress

EVP

Jordon Parker

VP

Paul Gleason

Analyst

About Hilco Streambank: Hilco Streambank is a market-leading advisory firm specializing in intellectual property valuation, advisory, and monetization. Having completed numerous transactions, including sales in publicly reported transactions, private transactions, and online sales through IPv4.Global, Hilco Streambank has established itself as the premier intermediary in the consumer brand, internet, technology, and telecom communities. Hilco Streambank is part of Northbrook, Illinois-based Hilco Global, the world’s leading authority on maximizing the value of business assets by delivering valuation, monetization, and advisory solutions to an international marketplace. Hilco Global operates more than twenty specialized business units offering services that include asset valuation and appraisal, retail and industrial inventory acquisition and disposition, real estate, and strategic capital equity investments.

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SOURCE Hilco Streambank

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Real Estate Expert Matt Nuzie Explains Buying and Selling a Home at the Same Time

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The article explains how homeowners can plan their finances, decide whether to buy or sell first, and coordinate closing dates when moving from one home to the next.

TRUMBULL, Conn., Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ —

KEY HIGHLIGHTS 

Selling a current home first brings financial certainty, while buying first offers more flexibility with the move. Mortgage options and home sale contingencies often determine how homeowners can manage two transactions at once. Building a cushion into closing dates and setting aside extra savings helps homeowners handle delays without added pressure. 

How can homeowners manage buying and selling a home at the same time? A HelloNation article provides the answer, featuring insights from Matt Nuzie, Real Estate Expert with REMAX Right Choice in Trumbull, Connecticut. The newly published article explains how financial planning, mortgage options, and closing dates affect both sides of the move. 

Should You Buy or Sell Your Home First? 

The article explains that selling your current home first gives homeowners certainty. Once the sale closes, they know exactly what they have for a down payment and a price range. 

Selling first also removes the risk of carrying two homes. The trade-off is that homeowners may need temporary housing, storage, or two moves. 

Buying a new home first lets homeowners move on their own schedule. The article notes that it can mean covering two mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, and utilities, so a conversation with a lender should come before any offer. 

How Do Mortgage Options Affect Buying and Selling? 

According to the article, mortgage options often decide the order. Some buyers need the equity from their current home for a down payment, while others qualify for financing that lets them buy before selling. 

Matt Nuzie recommends reviewing income, savings, and the current mortgage with a lender before touring homes.  A home sale contingency makes a purchase dependent on selling the buyer’s current home. It offers protection, but many sellers prefer offers without one when they have several to choose from. 

Why Are Closing Dates Important? 

Matt Nuzie notes that scheduling both closings close together lets homeowners move directly from one home to the next. 

Closings can be delayed for ordinary reasons, such as a lender’s request for documents or an inspection issue, so building in some breathing room is wise. 

A rent-back agreement can let sellers stay in the home for an agreed period after closing. Short-term temporary housing is another option when the dates don’t line up. 

How Can Homeowners Prepare for Unexpected Costs? 

The article recommends starting early on cleaning, small repairs, and listing photos, since they often take longer than expected. 

Moving, storage, repairs, and temporary housing can add up quickly, so setting aside extra savings helps. 

Matt Nuzie also emphasizes keeping the real estate agent, lender, and attorney informed of deadlines, and reading contract terms closely before signing. 

How to Buy and Sell a Home at the Same Time features insights from Matt Nuzie, Real Estate Expert of Trumbull, Connecticut, in HelloNation. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

Is It Better to Buy or Sell a Home First? 

According to Matt Nuzie, it depends on your finances, your moving plans, and the local real estate market. Selling first brings financial certainty, while buying first offers more flexibility with the move. 

What Is a Home Sale Contingency? 

Matt Nuzie explains through insights featured in the article that a home sale contingency makes a purchase dependent on selling an existing home. It offers protection, though many sellers prefer offers without one. 

Can You Close on Two Homes at the Same Time? 

The article explains that homeowners can schedule both closings close together. Financing or inspection delays can still shift the timing, so some cushion is wise. 

What Happens if Closing Dates Do Not Match? 

Based on insights from Matt Nuzie, Real Estate Expert of Trumbull, Connecticut, homeowners may consider a rent-back agreement or short-term temporary housing. Both can provide extra time between transactions. 

Matt Nuzie is a REALTOR® with REMAX Right Choice, 105 Technology Drive, Trumbull, CT 06611. Each Office Independently Owned and Operated. 

About HelloNation

HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

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SOURCE HelloNation

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UTulsa launches Access to Excellence Scholarship Fund with $4M Asbjornson family commitment

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TULSA, Okla., Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The University of Tulsa has launched the Access to Excellence Scholarship Fund, a philanthropic initiative to help more students pursue a UTulsa education, with an additional $4 million commitment from the Asbjornson Foundation providing significant early support.

The fund builds on the university’s Access to Excellence tuition initiative and its commitment to put an exceptional private education within reach. In August, the university announced it would cap undergraduate tuition and required fees at $25,000 a year in fall 2027, making UTulsa the most affordable private research university in America’s heartland.

“This extraordinary investment by the Asbjornson family embodies what Access to Excellence means at a Top 75 private research institution and exemplifies the commitment of the Golden Hurricane community to pay it forward,” said President Stacy Leeds. “We are removing financial barriers while preserving everything that makes a University of Tulsa education exceptional. The Asbjornsons understand that unlocking higher education can transform not only a student’s future but also the future of Tulsa and our region. We are deeply grateful for their continued leadership.”

The Asbjornson Foundation’s generous gift will focus on transfer student aid:

A $1.3 million expendable fund will immediately provide scholarships for current transfer students whose annual tuition and fees exceed $25,000.A $2.7 million endowed fund will support undergraduate transfers studying engineering, computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, finance and entrepreneurship. Preference will be given to Tulsa Community College Honors Scholars, followed by other TCC transfer students and then qualified Tulsa-area students transferring from other accredited institutions.

“If students are concerned about taking on too much debt, they will be reluctant to pursue rigorous studies and challenging career paths. To ensure Tulsa’s economic success, we need Tulsa students to fulfill their potential,” said Scott Asbjornson (B.S.B.A. ’91, MBA ’95). “I hope others in our philanthropic community will join my family in supporting these deserving students.”

The scholarships are designed to cover recipients’ remaining tuition, fees, books and course materials after other aid is applied, eliminating the need for student loans to attend the university – excluding room, board and other non-mandatory fees.

“Our hope is that this investment removes barriers for talented students and creates opportunities for them to learn, explore and grow in ways that prepare them to lead with purpose,” Asbjornson said.

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SOURCE The University of Tulsa

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Lafayette Square Institute and the Center for USA Lending Launch Federal Credit Lab Platform

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Federal Credit Lab provides publicly available data visualizations and analysis on the allocation of federal credit across the U.S. economy. 

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Lafayette Square Institute and the Center for USA Lending launched the Federal Credit Lab, a publicly available data and insights platform providing data and analysis of the U.S. government credit portfolio to generate actionable insights for policymakers, program administrators, researchers, and the public. 

The United States government is one of the largest lenders in the world. Its portfolio contains over $5 trillion in cumulative outstanding loans and loan guarantees. In Fiscal Year 2026 alone, Congress authorized nearly $1 trillion in new loan and loan guarantees spanning over 100 programs and 20 federal agencies.

Federal Credit Lab is a joint initiative of two nonprofit organizations, the Lafayette Square Institute and the Center for USA Lending, aimed at making this portfolio data more readily accessible to inform better program assessment, delivery, budgeting, and design.

“Federal credit is one of the most powerful and least understood sets of tools by which policymakers can mobilize private capital to address national challenges,” said Jack Moriarty, Executive Director of Lafayette Square Institute. “Our objective in building Federal Credit Lab with our partners at the Center for USA Lending is to enhance our collective understanding of this toolkit to inform the next generation of industrial policy and the allocation of capital to the people and places that need it.” 

“Modern systems and better information lead to better policy. The Federal Credit Lab puts that premise into practice. It is a platform that makes the government’s lending enterprise substantially more visible, accessible, and accountable. We see this as a foundation, one we hope to build on in partnership with federal credit agencies,” said Doug Criscitello, Executive Director of the Center for USA Lending.

“By applying analytics to the complex workflows across the federal credit portfolio, Lafayette Square Institute and the Center for USA Lending are creating conditions for government and capital markets to better serve workers and communities in every zip code,” said Damien Dwin, Founder and CEO of Lafayette Square and Board member of Lafayette Square Institute.

“The Federal Credit Lab platform aspires to make the world of federal credit accessible to a much wider audience of stakeholders by centralizing and unifying a previously disparate set of data sources,” said Laura Hohenberger, Senior Associate for Data Analytics and Policy at Lafayette Square Institute.

The launch of the Federal Credit Lab featured a joint event in Washington, D.C. that included a platform demo and expert speakers. Additional programming on select thematic areas in the federal credit portfolio is slated throughout 2027. Lafayette Square Institute and the Center for USA Lending invite public feedback on applied research questions for future analysis.

About Lafayette Square Institute
Lafayette Square Institute (LSI) is a nonprofit policy and data analytics platform committed to aligning private capital with the public interest. Through deep bipartisan relationships, innovative finance tools, and data analysis, LSI mobilizes investment in the people and places that need it. 

About Center for USA Lending
The Center for USA Lending is a nonpartisan organization advancing a modern, effective credit ecosystem. It connects public and private stakeholders, elevates borrower needs, and promotes the use of modern technology to ensure access to capital for the borrowers federal credit is intended to serve.

Contact: Laura Hohenberger, Senior Associate, Data Analytics and Policy, Lafayette Square Institute, hohenberger@lafayettesquareinstitute.org 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lafayette-square-institute-and-the-center-for-usa-lending-launch-federal-credit-lab-platform-302933895.html

SOURCE Lafayette Square Institute

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