All posts by Wilda Wong

Wilda is the senior manager of marketing & communications at Mission Driven Finance. When not talking about impact investing, she enjoys attending film festivals (virtually + in person) and tasting creative ice cream and gelato flavor combinations. Learn more about Wilda here.
Ancient trade routes, modern capital: How ‘capital weaving’ unlocked a regenerative mill project in Indian Country

Ancient trade routes, modern capital: How ‘capital weaving’ unlocked a regenerative mill project in Indian Country

Dec 4, 2025

In impact finance, the challenge isn’t just finding great projects; it’s unlocking the capital to make them happen. This was the case for regenerative flour company Cairnspring Mills, whose growth had outpaced its infrastructure, and for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, which had a vision for economic development but needed the right partners to help bring it to life.

read more
Scaling Impact, Staying Human

Scaling Impact, Staying Human

Nov 26, 2025

What if the future of finance wasn’t just more efficient—but more rooted in community, creativity, and real human possibility? Mission Driven Finance Co-founders David Lynn and Lauren Grattan talk about bridging the gap between conventional investing and the bold community-powered ideas that rarely get a fair shot. From flexible private credit to employee ownership, we are showing what’s possible when we build financial systems that center people, not just portfolios.

read more
Mission Driven Finance and Native Lending Partners Invest $9M in Regenerative Flour Mill on Umatilla Indian Reservation

Mission Driven Finance and Native Lending Partners Invest $9M in Regenerative Flour Mill on Umatilla Indian Reservation

Sep 18, 2025

Mission Driven Finance announced a $9 million investment as part of a larger capital raise for Cairnspring Mills’ new Blue Mountain mill on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon. The transaction, structured with eight Native Community Development Financial Institutions and other partners, represents a breakthrough in creative financing for Indigenous economic development.

read more
Milken Institute 2025 Finance Forum

Milken Institute 2025 Finance Forum

Mar 6, 2025

Mission Driven Finance® Co-founder and Chief Community Officer Lauren Grattan spoke on a panel at the Milken Institute 2025 Finance Forum with Samantha Berg (Next Street), Kim Folsom (Founders First Capital Partners), and Shaolee Sen (JPMorganChase)—moderated by Troy Duffie—about meeting small business owners where they are at, providing right-sized support at the right time.

read more
Anthem Blue Cross Foundation Inaugural Impact Investment to Benefit California Schools and Students

Anthem Blue Cross Foundation Inaugural Impact Investment to Benefit California Schools and Students

Feb 26, 2025

Anthem Blue Cross Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Anthem Blue Cross of California, announced a $300,000 inaugural impact investment loan to Burlingame-based Psyched Services. Facilitated by impact asset manager, Mission Driven Finance, this funding will support Psyched Services as the organization works to provide vital mental health services to 380 schools in California, directly benefiting more than 3,200 children and families across the Golden State.

read more
Partnership results in first deal for Indigenous Futures Fund and Cheyenne and Arapaho CDC

Partnership results in first deal for Indigenous Futures Fund and Cheyenne and Arapaho CDC

Jan 31, 2025

The Indigenous Futures Fund—part of the Initiative for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (IIE)—and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Community Development Corporation (CACDC)—a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) serving Native entrepreneurs—partnered on a first deal for both. Both entities, launched in 2024, disbursed capital to Commercial Furniture Refinishers, a small business owned by Cheyenne and Arapaho citizen Marshall Franklin.

read more
Unlocking Tribal economic growth: Sara Barbour and Lauren Grattan on how the Initiative for Inclusive Entrepreneurship is supporting self-determination

Unlocking Tribal economic growth: Sara Barbour and Lauren Grattan on how the Initiative for Inclusive Entrepreneurship is supporting self-determination

Jan 16, 2025

In this conversation between Sara Barbour, the executive director of The Alliance CDFI—a Native community development financial institution chartered under the Yurok Tribe—and Lauren Grattan, the co-founder and chief community officer of Mission Driven Finance®, we explore how Tribal SSBCI funds and the Indigenous Futures Fund are unlocking opportunities in Native communities.

read more
Care Access Real Estate® celebrates 20 homes for child care providers

Care Access Real Estate® celebrates 20 homes for child care providers

Dec 17, 2024

Care Access Real Estate® (CARE) has acquired its 20th property! This means 20 thoughtfully renovated child care hubs in neighborhoods, 20 houses for child care providers to live in with their families, 20 stable locations for women entrepreneurs to grow a child care business, and 244 more slots of quality child care.

read more
Asset Funders Network webinar: Investing in Home-Based Childcare Entrepreneurs to Stabilize Their Businesses, Expand Childcare, and Build Wealth Through Homeownership

Asset Funders Network webinar: Investing in Home-Based Childcare Entrepreneurs to Stabilize Their Businesses, Expand Childcare, and Build Wealth Through Homeownership

Nov 16, 2024

Asset Funders Network held a webinar about innovative work happening to address asset building for home-based childcare entrepreneurs. The panel explored main barriers these entrepreneurs are facing; ways groups are attempting to remove those barriers; policy opportunities to create systemic change; and ways philanthropy can be supportive.

read more

Categories