Our Mission

Working Solutions is a certified nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with a mission to provide affordable capital, customized business consulting, and community connections for underserved entrepreneurs in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area to start and grow thriving local businesses. Specializing in start-up and early-stage financing, Working Solutions creates economic opportunity and builds financial self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship and promotes microenterprise growth to strengthen the local economy, create jobs and build resilient communities. 

 
J Style at Home

J Style at Home

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
 RGB Gallery

 RGB Gallery

Our Results

Capital

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  • $16.1 million disbursed

  • 614 loans funded

  • 96% repayment rate

  • $26,250 average loan size

  • $1.5 million in grants made to 140 small businesses

Consulting

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  • 14,500+ entrepreneurs educated

  • 3,100+ entrepreneurs provided with pre-loan technical assistance

  • 2,200+ hours of post-loan technical assistance

Community

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  • 2,940 jobs created/retained

  • 60% women-owned businesses

  • 48% people of color-owned businesses

  • 85% low- or moderate income owned businesses

  • 46% startups and 77% early stage businesses

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:

Working Solutions is a proud member of: