📣 Announcing our 2025 Social Impact Summary 📣
In these unprecedented times, Working Solutions continues to deliver exceptional impact. In FY25, we surpassed $65 million in all-time deployment of small-dollar financing, reaching 3,000 small businesses served across California since inception.
As the First to Believe in Small Business, we made more than 200 loans totaling nearly $10 million in FY25, with 99% of our financing reaching low-income, BIPOC, women, and/or early-stage entrepreneurs. And we delivered on our goal of statewide expansion, serving EVERY region of California last year.
These achievements did not happen in isolation. They emerged from what we call the Power of the Collective: the strength and commitment of our strategic partners, our dedicated team members, and our supporters, who understand that inclusive economic opportunity is the engine of thriving California communities.
Read more about our impact in 2025: /news/read-our-2025-social-impact-summary #LinkInBio
🎉 #MilestoneMoment: Working Solutions has reached $65 million in all-time deployment, and we just closed our biggest fiscal year ever! 🎉
We are well on our way to meet and exceed the bold goal that we set for ourselves one year ago with the launch of our five-year strategic plan—to reach $100 million in small-dollar financing to small businesses in California by the end of 2029.
We continue to scale—with purpose. We closed out FY25 on 9/30 with 213 small-dollar loans totaling $9.7 million disbursed to:
➡️ 81% low- and moderate-income (LMI) individuals, of whom 71% were low-income;
➡️ 71% BIPOC entrepreneurs;
➡️ 52% women entrepreneurs; and
➡️ 81% early-stage businesses.
In total, 99% of our loans in FY25 were made to entrepreneurs in one or more of these priority groups.
Our longitudinal results continue to show the impact of small-dollar loans at scale—on average, our clients more than doubled their business revenue between their first and second loans. We look forward to sharing more details about our impact in the new year.
Read a message from Working Solutions CEO @Sara Razavi: /65million #LinkInBio
#CDFI #CommunityInvestment #AmericanInvestment #CDFIFund #SmallBusiness #SmallBiz #Entrepreneurship #CreateJobs
The Working Solutions and Main Street Launch teams spent last week celebrating Small Business Week throughout California, joining partners in San Francisco, Oakland, Antioch, Santa Rosa, Hayward, the Central Valley, and beyond for lender panels, resource expos, financial management workshops, and more. Thank you to every community organization and small business owner who showed up. Weeks like this are a reminder that when we work together to invest in the small business ecosystem, our communities are stronger for it.
#SmallBusinessWeek2026 #FirstToBelieve #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship
#ClientSpotlight: Working Solutions alum @cakecoquette was recently featured on @hbo 's @euphoria ! San Francisco-based baker and entrepreneur Gabrielle Feuersinger designed and created an extravagant 3-foot wedding cake for a recent episode of the show. Read more about the process on @sfgate : /sf-culture/article/sf-baker-hbo-euphoria-22236915.php #LinkInBio
With Mother's Day on Sunday and Small Business Week in full swing, now is the perfect time to #ShopLocal! If you’re looking for gift ideas and inspiration, shop the Working Solutions Client Directory to find a special #smallbiz near you: workingsolutions.org/client-directory #LinkInBio
THIS WEEK: Join @theoaacc and Working Solutions, for a free, in-person Access to Capital event in Oakland on Friday, May 8! Connect with an incredible panel of lenders and service providers, learn about funding options, get pro tips for preparing a loan application, and leave with actionable tools to grow your business. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, you'll find the resources you need at this event!
Access to Capital: How To Get To A Yes!
📅 Friday, May 8
🕚 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM
📍Preservation Park - Remillard House, 654 Thirteenth St., Oakland
🔗 RSVP at /May8-Access2Capital #LinkInBio
#FirstToBelieve #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Funding #SmallBiz #BusinessFunding #BusinessResources
Join Working Solutions & Main Street Launch on Thursday, May 7 at 11 am for a free, virtual workshop on Financial Foundations for Small Business. We'll answer your questions on topics such as:
📈 How to read your Profit & Loss statement
💸 Improving your cash flow
📋 When and how to apply for a business loan
🔍 What financial indicators every business owner should be watching
Led by Karla De Leon, Chief Lending Officer at Working Solutions CDFI & Main Street Launch. Register here: /2x7lwgns #LinkInBio
#SmallBusinessWeek #SmallBusiness #BusinessFinance #FinancialLiteracy #SFSBW2026
Small Business Week is here! Working Solutions is the #FirstToBelieve in start-up and early-stage small businesses in California, offering affordable loans paired with free consulting. We believe all entrepreneurs should have access to capital, which is why our loan program has no minimum credit score, minimum revenue, or collateral requirement. Learn more and apply: /loan-program #LinkInBio
#smallbusinessweek #smallbusinessweek2026 #smallbiz #smallbusiness #smallbusinessowner #smallbusinesssupport #entrepreneur #entrepreneurlife #california
At Working Solutions, we envision a future where all small business owners are financially resilient and strengthen their communities through sustainable entrepreneurship.
We are hiring Business Development Officer to be part of that vision. The ideal candidate is ready to drive impact by growing our lead volume, building partnerships, and expanding our market presence through both virtual partner cultivation and in-person, boots-on-the-ground outreach. Fluency in English and Spanish is required.
This #SmallBusinessMonth, join a team dedicated to putting affordable capital in the hands of entrepreneurs across California. Learn more and apply: /business-development-officer-2026 #LinkInBio
Join us next week in Redwood City for a Small Business Week Lender Panel — a FREE, in-person event where local lenders and experts will share everything you need to know about financing your business.
Topics include:
✅ Funding sources
✅ When (& how) to get a loan
✅ What lenders are really looking for
✅ Tips to strengthen your application
📅 Friday, May 8, 2026 | 12:30–2 pm
📍 Chan Zuckerberg Community Space, 801 Jefferson Ave, Redwood City
Register here: /forms/239ddf6d457c9611eb0d9695eb499c2a?r=use1 #LinkInBio
Hosted by @cityofredwoodcity | Moderated by @sanmateosbdc | Featuring @mainstlaunch , @working_solutions & @usbank
#SmallBusinessWeek #SBA #RedwoodCity #SmallBusiness #BusinessFunding
This week, Working Solutions joined fellow CDFI leaders in Sacramento for the 2026 California CDFI Summit and State Advocacy Day — meeting with 65 legislative offices to make the case for continued investment in the California Investment & Innovation Fund, and exploring how effective collaboration across California's community development financial system can address housing affordability, small business growth, and health equity.
With federal policy shifts reshaping the CDFI landscape, state-level leadership is more important than ever. Thank you to @calcdfis and the @nativecdfinetwork for convening these important conversations with public, private, and philanthropic leaders to help make California's community development financial system work better for everyone.
Ready to ditch the commute and build something of your own in Antioch, CA?
Working Solutions CDFI is partnering with the City of Antioch to offer affordable small business loans, 1-on-1 application support, and free financial management workshops, with a specialty in start-up and early-stage businesses.
Join us for our next Antioch Small Business Community Mixer to learn more about the resources and support available to Antioch entrepreneurs:
📅 Monday, April 27th | 5:30–7:00 PM | Tease Southern Kitchen & Catering
Special guest: Jim Becker, Chair of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce
Hear about financing options, discover resources built for Antioch business owners, and build community with people on the same path.
👉 Reserve your free spot: /antioch
#Antioch #SmallBusiness #AntiochBusinessCollaborative
