Recognizing the role of CDFIs as financial first responders, the federal government is injecting historic levels of funding into our industry to support economic recovery efforts. In a new article from American Banker, Working Solutions CEO Sara Razavi and other CDFI leaders across the country share their perspectives on the impact of this funding and the importance of sustained support for CDFIs and the communities we serve.

This week (April 5-9) is California CDFI Week! Working Solutions is proud to join our fellow Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in bringing additional visibility to our industry. Read on for exciting updates, including a visit to Oakland from Vice President Kamala Harris, a new California Senate bill that would support the state’s partnership with CDFIs, and more.

Working Solutions CEO Sara Razavi was interviewed by ABC7 News for a feature on how businesses with office space in downtown San Francisco are planning and preparing for employees to return to work in the post-COVID environment. Watch the segment, which is part of ABC7’s ‘Building a Better Bay Area’ series, here.

Working Solutions stands in solidarity with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and all those fighting for racial justice and equity. We are deeply committed to a more inclusive and just economy and our work to lift up entrepreneurs of color. We are a learning organization and committed to education and resource-sharing to build connections, community, and sustainability. Read more here.

It has now been one full year since the first shelter-in-place orders went into effect across the San Francisco Bay Area in response to the growing spread of COVID-19. In the face of this ongoing pandemic, Working Solutions has remained a steadfast supporter of Bay Area small businesses. Read more in this message to our community from Working Solutions CEO Sara Razavi.

Happy International Women’s Day! Today and every day, we are inspired by leaders like Lisa Mensah, President & CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network, who was recently highlighted in Forbes magazine for her role as a small business advocate during the COVID-19 crisis. Read more about Lisa and other inspiring women leaders who support small business here.

Working Solutions CEO Sara Razavi moderated a panel at the ‘Summit on Diversity and Entrepreneurship in California’ on Wednesday, March 17 at 11 am. The event, hosted by the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley and supported by Wells Fargo, examined the impacts of COVID-19 on women and entrepreneurs of color as well as the efficacy of current recovery efforts in California. Watch the recording here.

In honor of Black History Month, the Working Solutions team is participating in a range of virtual events with partner organizations across the Bay Area. Check out these upcoming opportunities to get small business tips and resources on topics such as capital readiness, digital marketing, and how to pivot your business during challenging economic times.

Working Solutions is deeply committed to protecting the small business owners we serve by upholding responsible lending practices. We are proud to have recently renewed our commitment to the Small Business Borrowers' Bill of Rights, established by the Responsible Business Lending Coalition.

Working Solutions and Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center are pleased to announce the launch of a new Small Business Revolving Loan Fund to serve San Francisco’s District 10. Funded by the D10 Implementation Committee, this Loan Fund will provide affordable capital and free consulting to businesses located in Bayview Hunters Point and other D10 neighborhoods. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more and apply here.

Working Solutions is thrilled to announce that Bank of the West has made a renewal grant to support our ongoing COVID-19 relief efforts. Special thanks to all of the Bank of the West team members who volunteer to support our work and who keep our partnership strong. We look forward to continued work together on behalf of small businesses across the Bay Area. Thank you, Bank of the West!

Exciting news! Working Solutions has disbursed $4.33 million in COVID-19 relief grant dollars to 1,012 small businesses across the Bay Area since March. To put that number into perspective, this means that we have doubled the number of businesses funded in our 20-year history in just the last nine months. Grants have been made through programs in Sonoma County and the cities of Oakland, Albany, and Napa. Thank you to the partners and funders who made these grant programs possible.