CRF’s Director of Community Advancement, Anisha Murphy, Esq., wrote a compelling opinion piece for MinnPost in the wake of the Derek Chauvin murder conviction. The article pinpoints the role economic racism plays in driving social and institutional racism. We need a financial system that priorities equity and access to capital for BIPOC-owned businesses. We can do this by […]
Category: News
This Mother’s Day Celebrate Mom-Owned Businesses and the Women Behind Them
Mother’s Day is a great time to remember and celebrate moms—both our own mothers, and others around the world. Moms who run their own businesses bring a compassionate, caring, and practical approach to what they do—balancing the needs of theirs and other children with running a successful organization that helps their customers and communities. Mom-owned […]
U.S. SBA Restaurant Revitalization Fund Information
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is awarding funding through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to restaurants, bars, and other eligible businesses. The purpose of this funding is to provide support to eligible entities that suffered revenue losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 11, 2021 the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) became public […]
Environmental Poverty is a Real Problem: Here’s an Organization Trying to Change it
The health of our environment and the welfare of our people are inextricably linked—something that we’re becoming increasingly aware of through events like Earth Day. Environmental justice is key to providing underinvested communities with access to clean air, clean water, and open, natural spaces. A lack of funding and income, particularly in communities of color, has a […]
Technology Drives Opportunity as Connect2Capital Hits $100 Million
By: Patrick Davis When Connect2Capital launched in 2018, we envisioned a collaborative community of banks and mission-driven small business lenders that would improve access to capital for entrepreneurs across the country. In a landscape full of payday and predatory lenders, Connect2Capital provides a trusted network of more than 70 lending partners, responsible loan products and an easy-to-access […]
International Women’s Day: Celebrating Women-Led Organizations
Women play an essential role in American commerce and business. Today, women-owned enterprises represent nearly a quarter of all businesses in the U.S. This trend toward entrepreneurship accelerated in the 1970s and 1980s when women were increasingly working outside the home. The number of women-owned businesses in the U.S. increased 31 years out of 46 between 1972 and 2018, growing from 402,000 to 12.3 million. We celebrate […]
Black-Run Nonprofits: Pillars of Community Empowerment
When our communities sound calls for justice, public safety, support and education, Black-run nonprofit organizations answer loudly and clearly in cities throughout the country. Here are just two of the Black-led organizations we’ve had the pleasure of working with that are doing great work. Southwest Detroit Community Justice Center Consider how a culture of incarceration […]
Important Debt Relief Payment Updates for SBA 7(a) Borrowers
There have been several amendments to the original Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act) since it was enacted on March 27, 2020. It is important for small business owners to be informed of these changes and understand how they may impact their business. This post briefly summarizes these recent changes and can be used as a guide as […]
New SBA PPP Guidance Prioritizes Businesses and Nonprofits with Fewer Than 20 Employees
On Feb. 22, 2021, the Biden Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued new program guidelines for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The SBA will be implementing a 14-day exclusive PPP loan application period for businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 20 employees. This 14-day period begins Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 9:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on March 9th at […]
