From November 9-12, Working Solutions was proud to join our CDFI peers and partners to address the theme of ‘Finance Justice’ at this year’s virtual Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) conference. The conference featured inspiring speakers, energizing sessions, networking opportunities, and more—including a session led by Working Solutions CEO and OFN Board Member Sara Razavi.

Working Solutions client GW ‘Chef’ Chew, founder of Something Better Foods, was a guest speaker at the National Urban League’s Small Business Entrepreneurship Summit on November 10. This virtual event was sponsored by Wells Fargo and featured leaders across a diverse set of industries who provided guidance on how to retool, rebuild, and rebrand in a COVID-19 world.

The San Francisco Entrepreneurs of Color Fund is a collaborative effort by CDFIs Working Solutions, ICA, and Pacific Community Ventures and funded by JPMorgan Chase to expand lending to local business owners of color. A newly released report by the Aspen Institute’s Business Ownership Initiative documents experiences, lessons, and outcomes of the Fund and offers insights for other organizations to consider in their approach to this work.

In fiscal year 2020, Working Solutions provided $4.5 million in capital and 6,000 consulting hours (our biggest year yet!) in spite of—and in response to—the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to our funders and partners for helping us provide essential financial services to Bay Area entrepreneurs.

Working Solutions is excited to welcome three new staff members this month: Christina Travers as CFO, Diana Brown as Lending Associate, and Jhoana Rose Juen as Portfolio Associate. Each of these new team members will help expand and enhance our work with underserved entrepreneurs.

The Oakland CARES Act Home-Based Business Grant Program, administered by Working Solutions, will provide COVID-19 relief grants of $2,000 to $4,000 to home-based, for-profit businesses in Oakland. The application window is now closed.

Working Solutions is thrilled to be one of 10 nonprofits across the country selected to receive new grant funding from HSBC to expand economic opportunity for underserved individuals and communities. Thank you to HSBC for supporting our work as a financial first responder for San Francisco Bay Area small businesses during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Working Solutions CEO Sara Razavi has been named to the newly-created REDF Impact Investing Fund (RIIF) Advisory Council. This group of diverse leaders will provide expertise and thought partnership for RIIF’s social impact objectives. Sara looks forward to working with the other members of the Advisory Council and REDF staff to support RIIF’s mission to finance social enterprises that create jobs to build a more inclusive economy for all.

The Sonoma County Small Business Stabilization Grant Program, administered by Working Solutions, is providing COVID-19 relief grants of $2,500 to $15,000 to small businesses in Sonoma County. The application window is now closed. [Ver esta información en español aquí.]

Working Solutions is proud to have received a new grant from the CDFI Fund—through a highly competitive federal grant program that is only available to certified CDFIs. Thank you to the CDFI Fund for supporting our work, and congratulations to our fellow grantees!

Working Solutions CEO Sara Razavi was honored to participate in KCBS Radio’s inaugural Small Business Roundtable on Thursday, September 24. Sara joined KCBS Business Reporter Jason Brooks and other small business experts to take questions about small business loans, PPP, tax implications, and operating in the age of COVID-19.

Particularly during these challenging times, Working Solutions is proud to advocate at the local, state, and national levels for measures that protect small business owners from predatory lending practices. Read about the recent ways in which we have served as a voice for small business.