Small Business Week 2019
Working Solutions staff had a great time participating in Small Business Week activities across the Bay Area this year, including events in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. Thanks to all of the many partners and sponsors who made these events possible. We also want to give particular thanks to the San Francisco Small Business Week team for featuring both Working Solutions and the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund on their blog!
Partnership Spotlight: Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo has been a strong and consistent partner to Working Solutions since the inception of our program. In 2005, it was a $500,000 loan from Wells Fargo that seeded our microlending work, and we have since partnered together on several strategic initiatives, including the Economic Opportunity Grant in the North Bay and the Diverse Community Capital program in the East Bay.
Working Solutions Supports SB619
In partnership with Credit Builders Alliance (CBA), Working Solutions and like-minded organizations are supporting Senate Bill 619, which is being introduced by State Senator Ben Hueso. Senate Bill 619 would establish a 3-year, opt-in rent reporting pilot program in declared "Promise Zone" cities throughout the State of California.
Invest in Dreams Breakfast: May 9, 2019
Our Invest in Dreams Breakfast is coming up on Thursday, May 9 during Small Business Week. We would love your help spreading the word!
Sonoma County Flooding
On February 28, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in 26 counties, including Sonoma County, due to flooding and damage from rain storms that swept across California. To support the recovery of our North Bay communities, Working Solutions is providing Emergency Relief Loans for affected businesses and a 3-month forbearance opportunity to current borrowers affected by the floods.
CEO Message - 20th Year Anniversary
With 20 years behind us, we are ready to meet the future head on. Our goal is to continue to focus on the hardest to reach, the smallest, earliest ventures, and to make sure we deploy $30 million in microloans and serve 1,000 local businesses by 2021 … and to keep going.
Working Solutions in the SF Chronicle
"Small loans make a big difference for women and minorities” proclaims the San Francisco Chronicle in an article on the front page of the Sunday Business Report published on January 13, 2019. The article highlights how Working Solutions has supported Bay Area small businesses.
CDFIs and Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones are a hot topic in many circles with investors, real estate developers, and community development groups. The Bay Area, and Oakland specifically, have been designated as very high potential Opportunity Zones.
Technology Partnership
Our partnership with Nova Credit gives us great pride, because it helps us serve a large segment of communities of color – recent immigrants.
Working Solutions and Bank of the West: Supporting Women Entrepreneurs
We are very excited to roll out a deepened partnership with Bank of the West in January 2019.
Working Solutions: Ahead of the Curve on Real Estate Support
A recent trending conversation on KQED’s The Forum radio program highlighted the issue of displacement in San Francisco. The program discusses SF Mayor London Breed’s first policy proposal to address the issue of empty storefronts – the first for a city, and a model for other Bay Area cities.