Our Mission

Working Solutions is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) whose mission is to provide microentrepreneurs with the access to capital and resources they need to start or grow a successful business. We prioritize serving low-income individuals, women, and minorities. We support microenterprise growth as a strategy to strengthen the local economy, create jobs, and build strong communities.

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Our Approach

Funding entrepreneurs with loans from $5,000 to $50,000 in all 9 Bay Area Counties
Providing every entrepreneur with 5 years of business consulting, mentorship, and resources

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Our Results

Capital

14.5 million disbursed
560 loans funded
96% repayment rate
$26,617 average loan size
$1.5 million in grants made to 124 small businesses

Consulting

13,000+ entrepreneurs educated
2,500+ entrepreneurs provided with pre-loan technical assistance
1,000+ hours of post-loan technical assistance

Community

1,900 jobs created/retrained
60% women-owned
49% minority-owned
84% low- or moderate income
46% startups and 79% early stage existing business

Click here for more information about our community impact.

Our History

Working Solutions began in 1999 as a workforce development program under the auspices of TMC Financing. By 2004, the organization had commenced its own micro-lending program. Since then, Working Solutions has perfected our holistic approach to community economic development, blending our lending services with business coaching and mentoring programs. Emily Gasner, Working Solutions' founder and CEO, was honored with the 2008 Financial Services Champion of the Year Award by the San Francisco Small Business Administration. In 2009, Working Solutions was designated a United States Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

We follow fair, responsible, and transparent lending practices, and are a signatory of the: