Connecting small businesses to the support they need to thrive

Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) is a CDFI that drives economic opportunity in the Washington, D.C.

CAMEO is a coalition of 400+ mission-based lenders, CDFIs, business support organizations, and technical assistance providers.

Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE) is a nonprofit and CDFI that provides capital, coaching, and connections to help borrowers create and grow sustainable businesses.

Scale Link & LoanWell partnered to build a technology platform that matched small businesses seeking capital in North Carolina with local Community Development Financial Institutions.

Urban Impact is a nonprofit organization committed to removing barriers for underserved entrepreneurs in Birmingham, Alabama.

Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs equips overlooked and underestimated entrepreneurs with the access, resources, and community they need to grow stronger businesses.

Scale Link helps to build and grow the secondary market for community lenders by bundling CDFI microloans and selling them to banks.

Heartland Forward is a nonprofit think-and-do tank with a mission to accelerate economic growth in the middle of the country.

The National Urban League works to provide economic empowerment, educational opportunities, and the guarantee of civil rights for the underserved in America.

Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is the leading national network of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and a financial intermediary.

Nest addresses the unique needs of artisans and makers, prioritizing their well-being, their communities, and their business interests.

The Birmingham Business Resource Center is a “one-stop-shop” designed to assist entrepreneurs in every stage of development of their business.

Our Village United (OVU) supports the growth of solopreneurs and microbusinesses by delivering targeted technical assistance and shared professional services.

CNote makes impact investing easier by connecting capital to mission-driven financial institutions.

Next Street provides end-to-end solutions – powered by proprietary technology, national networks, and industry expertise.

The African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs empowers Black CDFI CEO members to lead and grow their institutional operations, teams, and social impact.

One Million Dreams Foundation provides tools, resources, and mentorship for entrepreneurs so they can scale their business and generate new economic opportunities.

Appalachian Community Capital is a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution that is focused on attracting new sources of capital for small businesses.

The Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) is a nonprofit community development financial institution that mobilizes capital and partnerships to expand access to funding.

Small Firm Diaries, USA is a two-year study, led by the Financial Access Initiative at NYU Wagner and EA Consultants.

Right to Start is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that seeks to expand entrepreneurial opportunity for all.

Hyphen catalyzes multi-sector partnerships, leverages philanthropic leadership and resources, and deploys strategic communications to address urgent needs facing entrepreneurs.

Ascend is a national network of local ecosystems that provides resources and market access to growing businesses.

Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF) is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to improve lives and strengthen communities through innovative financial solutions.

Accessity is a Community Development Financial Institution focused on providing economic opportunity to entrepreneurs in Southern California.

Rural LISC provides a wide range of services, including training, technical assistance, information, and financial support.

Momentus Capital is a family of organizations focused on transforming how capital and investments flow into communities.

AMH Catalyst Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the number of high growth firms led by women founders.

The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that focuses on advancing innovative economic and policy solutions to improve lives globally.

Aeris is the leading expert in the financial and impact performance of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and other private impact loan funds.

Accion Opportunity Fund is a nonprofit small business lender focused on supporting entrepreneurs who have historically lacked access to affordable and responsible financing.

SaverLife is a nonprofit with 650,000+ members that uses technology to improve the financial health of microentrepreneurs and people living on low to moderate incomes.

The Dream Incubator is a nonprofit that offers affordable commercial space and vital resources to small business owners in the Washington, DC area.

Grameen America is dedicated to helping low-income entrepreneurial women build businesses to enable financial mobility.

Inclusiv's mission is to help low- and moderate-income people and communities achieve financial independence through credit unions.

California FarmLink is an agricultural Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that invests in the prosperity and well-being of farmers, ranchers, and fishers.

Business owners learn how to grow their online customer base, increase online sales and profits, and boost customer satisfaction.

For small businesses, access to capital often determines what’s possible and what’s not — from expanding a storefront, to upgrading online ordering systems, or making payroll through a slow season.

CDFI networks, such as an industry associations or coalitions, function as conveners that capture and reflect the collective voice of members and help their members in many different ways.

The key question that emerged from our work in 2025 was: How do we help small business support organizations not only weather these shifts, but turn them into opportunity?

Philanthropic funding has always played an important role in the small business sector. As the rate of change accelerates, philanthropic funders are well-positioned to help small businesses adapt.

How Alabama leaders are coordinating partnerships, data, and technology to strengthen the small business ecosystem and expand access to resources statewide.

CDFIs share the same mission but their approaches often differ. Increasingly, however, they are finding ways to collaborate. How can we make these collaborations more sustainable and inclusive?

Having more consistent definitions and standards about community lending data is one of the six shifts identified in our survey of small business support leaders.

By Araba Sapara-Grant Maria worked in the flower district in Manhattan for many years, but her dream of opening her own mobile flower shop seemed untenable.

Six key shifts—from flexible capital to stronger partnerships—could transform the U.S. small business ecosystem and improve long-term entrepreneur success.

The creative economy is one of the worlds fastest growing sectors, representing $2 trillion in economic activity globally and potentially comprising 10% of GDP by 2030.

How Our Village United’s ELEVATE program combines wellness, funding, and mentorship to help underserved entrepreneurs grow resilient, scalable small businesses.

The fifth Mastercard Strive USA Summit recently took place in Lawrence, Kansas in partnership with the Kansas Department of Commerce.

Mastercard Strive USA significantly grew its portfolio, impact, and voice in Year 2 and set the stage for strengthening small business ecosystems further in Year 3.

Discover how Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) provide mission-driven financing, expand access to capital, and help underserved entrepreneurs grow sustainable businesses in the U.S.

To create an equitable economy, grantmakers should address the financial and training hurdles that cause so many entrepreneurs to fail.

A two-year Mastercard Strive USA grant has paved the way for investment platform CNote to strengthen their organizational capacity.

A unique and first-time partnership between two mission-driven organizations, Next Street and Community Reinvestment Fund USA.

This conversation on the role of local government in helping small businesses succeed took place at the Mastercard Strive USA Summit in St. Louis, Missouri, between Tishaura O.

This article highlights key themes and moments from the fourth Mastercard Strive USA Summit held in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Inclusiv will serve as a critical backdrop as it moves forward with its recent $1.87 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Clean Communities Investment Accelerator grant.

This article highlights key themes and moments from the third Mastercard Strive USA Summit held in St. Louis, Missouri.

The technical support entrepreneurs need to launch and grow their businesses can vary widely.

This article highlights key themes and moments from the second Strive USA Summit in Washington, DC, on April 17, 2024.

This conversation took place at the Mastercard Strive USA Summit in New York City between Kevin D.

Participants at the first Mastercard Strive USA Summit spoke about how to access and leverage the once-in-a-generation investments being made by the federal government.

Strive USA has launched a new event series geared towards creating more profound local impact in states and cities across the country.

New technologies, a surge in federal funding, and strategic partnerships are driving rapid growth of the community development finance sector and bolstering resilience.

Meet the Strive USA Innovation Fund winners using AI, data, and climate-smart finance to expand capital access and fuel growth for underserved small businesses across the United States.