COVID-19 Letter to Borrowers

Posted by Lauren Grattan
On March 18, 2020

We're sharing with you—our community—the same message for small businesses and nonprofits that we provided to our active borrowers. During this challenging time, stay true to your values and support each other. None of us will come out of this unchanged. See our COVID-19 resources for small businesses and nonprofits.

Community Engagement, Resources

Support Local Black-owned businesses in San Diego and watch our communities thrive

Posted by Tyana Smith
On February 20, 2020

The best way to celebrate Black History Month this year? Shop at local Black-owned small businesses. Economic power is the fundamental building block of healthy and thriving communities. With it, communities flourish—with improved health outcomes, educational opportunities, and the accumulation of wealth to support health and happiness for many generations to come.

Borrowers, Resources

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

Posted by Tyana Smith
On August 27, 2019

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 […]

Investors, Resources

How Can We Make Investing in Our Community a Great Investment? Flip the Traditional Finance Model on Its Head.

Posted by Tyana Smith
On July 22, 2019

When we first launched Mission Driven Finance, we developed the Advance Fund with one primary question in mind: how can we make investing in our community a great investment? The answer we found is to reimagine and reinvent finance to put the community’s needs first. We discovered incredible businesses and nonprofits committed to their communities […]

Resources

Storytelling for Change: Going Beyond Diversity to Create Belonging at Work

Posted by Tyana Smith
On June 13, 2019

Recently, our communications team completed the Storytelling for Change course, a free eight-week online course led by global changemakers +Acumen. We expected to learn strategies to better communicate with the public, but we walked away with so much more than that. We ended up with a stronger understanding of our own personal stories and how […]

Events, Resources

Announcing: Inner City Capital Connections SD Kickoff Breakfast

Posted by Lauren Grattan
On April 10, 2018

We are partnering with Kaiser Permanente San Diego to help introduce the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) national program to San Diego! When: Wednesday, April 25, 2018 | 7:30 am to 9:30 am 7:30 am breakfast 8 am program Where: Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation 404 Euclid Ave, San Diego, CA 92114 Why: As a […]

Resources

4 Reasons to Use Impact-Based Financing to Fuel Your Social Venture

Posted by Carrie Stokes Holst
On September 4, 2017

The first question borrowers ask us, regardless of their tax structure, is: why? Why go after impact-based financing instead of grants, donations, or traditional capital? Here are four ways impact-based financing can fuel your venture’s social mission: Changing Landscape: Social change is undercapitalized in the United States. Charitable giving has stayed stagnant at 7% […]

Resources

Mission Driven Finance Guide to Looking Smart at Parties (Part I)

Posted by Carrie Stokes Holst
On June 29, 2017

Impact Investing Lingo to Know We all know that moment, the dreaded moment you walk into an event and the discussion sounds completely foreign. Much like any other field, as impact investing has grown, so has the language we use to communicate. There’s plenty of jargon for both impact and investing. At Mission Driven Finance, we […]