Connect2Capital has been a vital resource for thousands of small business owners since this collaborative community of banks and mission-driven lenders launched in 2018. In October, we are celebrating a significant milestone: $200 million in lending deployed through the marketplace. This achievement was made possible by the hard-working mission-based lending partners that help small business owners take the first step toward growth, job creation, and community wealth-building. When Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF) started Connect2Capital, we […]
Category: News
Celebrating American Business Women’s Day: Progeny Coffee Farmers
On American Business Women’s Day, we honor and recognize the contributions of women in the workforce and women business owners. In celebration of the holiday, we recently spoke with Maria Palacio, co-founder of Progeny Coffee Farmers, who is a fourth-generation coffee farmer born and raised in Colombia. After coming to the United States, she started her […]
Board Member Spotlight: Dan Spiller
Get to know CRF’s board members by reading our Board Member Spotlight series! Check out this ongoing series to learn more about each member, including why they joined the board, what goals they have for CRF and what they do for fun. In the newest edition of our Board Member Spotlight series, we’re featuring Dan Spiller of U.S. Bank. Read more […]
CRF Receives District Director Award from SBA’s Minnesota District
Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF) is one of eleven Minnesota lenders to be recognized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) Minnesota District for their commitment to small business success. CRF has received the District Director Award for its dedication to supporting small businesses in Minnesota. This recognition means that CRF is among the state’s top […]
Celebrating National Dog Day: Sidewalk Dog
In celebration of National Dog Day, we had the pleasure of speaking with Alise Jarvis, founder of Sidewalk Dog. Sidewalk Dog is a media company that caters to dog-loving locals in Seattle, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Denver, and Chicago. The company provides content and resources for both first-time and long-time dog owners, along with dog-friendly recommendations for activities, events, […]
Board Member Spotlight: Calvin Holmes
CRF’s Board of Trustees is made up of leaders with extensive experience working in community development, financial services, and other sectors. Each board member brings a unique perspective to CRF and helps the organization achieve its mission to improve lives and strengthen communities through innovative financial solutions. We want you to get to know our board members! Read our ongoing Board Member Spotlight series to learn more about each member, including why they joined the board, what goals […]
CRF’s Krysta Pate Reappointed to Land Bank Authority Board of Directors
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has reappointed Community Reinvestment Fund, USA’s (CRF) Krysta Pate to serve on the Michigan State Land Bank Authority Board of Directors. Congratulations to Krysta and to all the other appointees! Krysta is the Midwest Program Director at CRF and the principal for The Homeownership Initiative Consulting, LLC. Krysta dedicates her time to helping others and has a strong commitment to helping people […]
Community Reinvestment Fund, USA Names Mac McNeil SVP of Operations
CRF has named Mac McNeil Senior Vice President of Operations. This new role will support the organization’s current and future business growth by leveraging team skills, customer experience, systems, and processes to integrate operations. McNeil is a longtime banking industry executive with a strong background in process improvement, compliance, risk, and management. As VP of Operations for Synchrony, McNeil led optimization initiatives for the consumer bank, which included robotic process […]
Celebrate National Ice Cream Month: Azucar Ice Cream Company
In July we celebrate ice cream all month long in the U.S. We had a special treat speaking with Suzanne Batlle, founder of Azucar Ice Cream. Batlle started AzucarIce Cream Company back in 2011 and the business has been growing ever since. Suzanne specializes in serving traditional Cuban ice cream and treats in both Miami’s […]
