“It is important to work towards breaking down long-lasting barriers to ensure underserved entrepreneurs can access the capital, networks, resources, and opportunities they need to achieve their business goals and dreams.” - U.S. Small Business Administration’s Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman

As a Community Development Financial Institution, we are committed to supporting the small business community. Thankfully, our partners at Wells Fargo agree. Wells Fargo had created an Open for Business program for this very purpose and awarded RDF $3.5 million from the grant fund.  

We partnered with a range of local and national organizations to deliver more than 90 low-cost small business loans—totaling over $4 million—to help entrepreneurs secure funding for equipment, working capital, and business expansion. We are deeply grateful to all our partners, including Wells Fargo, whose support was instrumental in the success of this collaborative lending effort. With the program now concluded, the RDF team has taken a step back to conduct a comprehensive review of its scope and outcomes. We’ve compiled our findings in a summary report, with the goal of sharing key insights and lessons learned to help other organizations strengthen and scale their support for the small business community. Read the full report with client and partner testimonials.