February 27, 2026 Stories and Data

Built to Scale: Designing a Business with Scale in Mind
St. John Manor
Catonsville CO-OP brings together food, community, and local businesses
A Grand Opening Like No Other

Testimonials

CDFIs provide a critical service to low-income entrepreneurs who are generally excluded from traditional financing to receive business training services and access to affordable capital to help them start their own microenterprises and thus improve their family’s and community’s economic stability.

-John Arnold, Thrive Community Lending, Atlanta, GA

As an emerging CDFI offering funding and technical assistance to uplift underserved communities and our economy the CDFI appropriation is imperative.

-Bydeia Harmon, AACCNJ Capital Fund Inc., Trenton, NJ

CDFIs in Missouri provide essential capital to help small businesses grow and contribute to the economy and their families. We must not delay in ensuring these critical organizations have the resources necessary to continue supporting the resilience of businesses, families, and communities across our state and our country.

-Colleen Hafner, Rise Community Development, St. Louis, MO