5 Things to Know About Getting an Impact-Based Loan for Your Business

Posted by Tyana Smith
On August 27, 2019
In Borrowers, Resources

There comes a time for many small businesses and nonprofits when you’re ready to grow and expand, but find yourself in an awkward, in between space–you’ve outgrown microfinance and often SBA loans, but don’t quite fit bank financing criteria. That’s where we come in. While you have great plans, you might need customized transaction structures […]

How Friends of Willow Tree Uses Creative Capital to Connect Students with Nature [Interview]

Posted by Tyana Smith
On August 18, 2019
In Borrowers

When we first met Bethany Chaffin, director of the education enrichment center Friends of Willow Tree, in 2018 she faced a challenging capital gap. Friends of Willow Tree needed a loan ahead of private and state payments to pay for staff, materials, and supplies at the start of the school year. After restructuring from an […]

LuckyBolt Uses Creative Capital to Develop Community

Posted by Tyana Smith
On July 18, 2019
In Borrowers

When we first met Kris Schlesser, founder of LuckyBolt, he was six years into a quest to make the perfect breakfast burrito easily accessible to professionals on the go. He had been financing the business with high-interest credit cards and microloans. Though he had met some venture capital firms interested in last-mile food delivery, they […]

Supporting African Artisans at Work and Beyond

Posted by Tyana Smith
On May 16, 2019
In Borrowers

In honor of the one-year anniversary of our official launch party, we’re catching up with one of our very first borrowers, All Across Africa. Since our investment in late 2017, All Across Africa has: Employed 400 new artisans. Provided solar lights to their artisans in Rwanda on a lease-to-own model, 37% below market price. This […]

New Financing Model Unlocks Millions to Build Affordable Homes

Posted by Tyana Smith
On May 16, 2019
In Borrowers, Investors, News

Investors in non-traditional fund address San Diego’s housing crisis (San Diego)–May 16, 2019–Today, Mission Driven Finance announces that investors have contributed more than $1 million to a revolutionary fund that will support the construction of affordable homes for low-income families. Investors concerned about the region’s housing crisis contributed to Mission Driven Finance’s Homebuilding Investment Fund […]

Collaborative Approach Unlocks $12MM Project Transforming Youth Lives

Posted by Lauren Grattan
On December 26, 2018
In Borrowers, News

Mission Driven Finance, Civic San Diego, and Alliance Healthcare Foundation provide critical funding for nonprofit Access Youth Academy’s new athletic and academic facility in Southeast San Diego FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Lauren Grattan | 858-880-0252 | lauren@missiondrivenfinance.com (SAN DIEGO)—January 15, 2019—Mission Driven Finance recently announced a coordinated investment with Civic San Diego and Alliance […]

Aligning with Islamic Financing Principles to Create Economic Opportunity

Posted by Lauren Grattan
On November 6, 2018
In Borrowers, News

Mission Driven Finance is delighted to support Somali Family Service of San Diego, one of the cornerstones of our refugee community, with culturally-sensitive bridge financing designed in line with Islamic principles. As an impact investment firm empowering community through new models of investing in social change, we embraced the challenge of finding a solution that […]

Posted by Lauren Grattan
On January 31, 2018
In Borrowers

The LuckyBolt Story Kris Schlesser started LuckyBolt in 2011 after his own frustration trying to get good food on a short lunch break. LuckyBolt started with bulk delivery agreements with local restaurants and expanded into offering healthy meals from the LuckyBolt Kitchen. Their model of delivering a large number of lunches to high-density office areas […]

Posted by Lauren Grattan
On January 31, 2018
In Borrowers

All Across Africa’s mission is to create jobs and markets to alleviate poverty in Africa. All Across Africa (AAA) is a social enterprise accelerating artisan integration into the global economy by facilitating access to foreign markets. AAA’s unique supply chain model includes training and employing over 3,000 artisans in five countries in Africa, primarily women. A […]

Posted by Lauren Grattan
On January 31, 2018
In Borrowers

Thrive Public Schools is a group of free, nationally recognized K-12 public schools in San Diego. Thrive prepares kids for careers and college in a safe, diverse, and joyful environment. They achieve award-winning academic growth by focusing on a highly personalized learning environment with quality faculty and staff who deeply care about each student. Thrive’s $500,000 […]