Originally published by Mastercard
Small businesses need capital to launch and scale their ideas. And yet, it remains one of the biggest barriers to growth for small businesses globally. Community lenders — including some 1,500 Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) that largely cater to low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs in the U.S. — focus on creative solutions to address this hurdle.
To maximize impact and address small business challenges, community lenders can join a CDFI network, such as an industry association or coalition. These groups function as conveners that capture and reflect the collective voice of members in advocacy efforts, document and help members deploy best practices, identify funding sources for partners, foster strategic partnerships, and introduce new products and services. They can explore and test new ideas safely, knowing there’s a network of support behind them to help shoulder the risk.
Networks vary in focus, size, and mission. Some, like Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) and Inclusiv, serve hundreds of CDFIs and credit unions nationwide. Others, like Appalachian Community Capital (ACC), focus on specific regions, while groups such as the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs unite members around shared challenges. A common thread among all is their ability to reach large cross sections of the CDFI industry — what Mastercard Strive USA calls a “one-to-many” approach — ensuring community lenders of all sizes can expand and innovate.
“The power that general networks like Inclusiv and Opportunity Finance Network and more specific organizations like Appalachia Community Capital and the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs hold when it comes to creating impact not only for their members and they communities they serve, but across the industry, is substantial,” says Jonathan Fantini-Porter, senior vice president for the Americas at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, who leads the Mastercard Strive USA program. “Mastercard Strive USA has intentionally supported these organizations and others doing similar work, as the one-to-many approach has proven to be effective in creating tangible impact across the small business ecosystem.”
Leveling up through innovation
OFN, a 470-member network, has collectively provided more than $124 billion in financing to rural, urban, and Native communities since 2023. Along with access to capital through various funding opportunities, OFN also amplifies members’ voices in public policy advocacy and provides resources to strengthen capacity.
Its CDFI Innovation Initiative, a five-year program supported by Mastercard Strive USA, is designed to spur solutions that help OFN members attract new capital, offer new financing products, and advance technologies like ethical AI and shared services models. By designing, testing, and scaling new structures and systems, OFN aims to expand access to capital for small businesses in underserved communities and incubate innovations that transform how CDFIs operate.
Mastercard Strive USA seed funding for the first two years is projected to boost industry deployment of financial capital from $1.07 billion in 2024 to $1.76 billion in 2026.
Inclusiv’s marketplace model drives new capital
Inclusiv, with a membership of over 500 credit unions and cooperativas, has its Small Business Capital Initiative, supported by Mastercard Strive USA, which provides capacity building, technical assistance, and loan processing support, helping members increase the availability of affordable capital for underserved communities.
Its Loan Participation Marketplace allows member institutions to buy and sell small business loans to each other, creatively leveraging financial assets to reach more entrepreneurs. In Puerto Rico, Inclusive purchased a pool of three small business loans from Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito Jesús Obrero totaling $980,000; freeing the cooperativa’s capital to finance loans for more entrepreneurs in their community.
Targeted impact for regional and identity-based networks
Some networks take a more targeted approach. Appalachian Community Capital (ACC) focuses specifically on serving lenders and small businesses in the Appalachian region. For its 40 member organizations, ACC offers a streamlined set of benefits: access to financing, a seat on the ACC Board of Directors, and opportunities to share best practices and feedback that shape how ACC supports community development lenders across the region. Recently, ACC expanded this model with the launch of the Resilient Appalachia Data Initiative (RADI).
RADI is a platform that provides CDFI small business lenders with data insights to support a more sustainable and inclusive economy. By focusing on specific regions, RADI has helped organizations like Mountain BizWorks in Appalachia deliver emergency relief to small businesses affected by Hurricane Helene. Supported by Mastercard Strive USA, RADI aims to channel over $15 million to at least 150 sustainable businesses within 18 months through its data analytics and process tools.
Another network organization with a more focused remit is the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs. They implement programs and initiatives that work to address economic challenges through advocacy, training and capacity building.
The Alliance’s Environment and Climate Technical Assistance Program, funded by Mastercard Strive USA, helps members support underserved businesses in accessing capital for clean energy and climate-related initiatives.
One to many
By convening members, being a platform for advocacy efforts, fundraising, and sources for innovation, these organizations play a key role in coordinating the community finance industry and the broader ecosystem.
These networks also streamline the financial equation, as public and private support stands to go further when funneled through an Industry association that creates impact with the one-to-many approach. Policymakers and other government leaders can engage these networks in their advocacy efforts to learn more about the CDFIs that exist in their regions and for guidance on how to best collaborate on economic development goals.
The end result? More capital powering the U.S. small businesses that serve as engines for regional — and ultimately national — economic resilience and long-term growth.
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