Accion Opportunity Fund and Mastercard Partner to Create a Unique Digital Financial Learning Platform for Small Businesses “`

324e05c2d90c56394ddae24611e1183c Accion Opportunity Fund and Mastercard partner to launch first of its kind digital financial learning platform for small businesses

This platform aims to enhance small business financial stability and loan preparedness.

SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 4, 2025 — Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF), a leading nonprofit supporting small business economic growth, and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth have collaborated to introduce a novel digital financial learning platform designed specifically for small businesses. This platform focuses on improving small business financial health, aiming to bolster credit and capital readiness.

Learn with AOF (http://aofund.org/learning)

AOF has declared its goal to provide $750 million in fresh capital to underserved businesses over the next five years, and this platform is crucial for ensuring broad access to these loans. Access to responsible and affordable small business funding is more vital than ever, as events ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to the L.A. wildfires threaten small business survival.

“Our objective is to become the leading scalable, financially sustainable mission-driven lender for underserved small businesses in the U.S.,” states Luz Urrutia, CEO of Accion Opportunity Fund. “We need to significantly expand our lending operations without compromising the personalized support we provide small business owners. We developed this platform by listening to small business owners who emphasized that access to capital is essential, but existing online financial resources fell short in strengthening loan applications and providing the financial knowledge needed for long-term success. Finding solutions to specific financial challenges online was often difficult and overwhelming.”

Access to capital has consistently demonstrated far-reaching effects for small businesses. For every $1 invested in a small business, over $2 is generated annually in new wages, spending, and taxes, and every loan AOF provides assists a business in its growth. However, expensive, frequently predatory financing options can harm a business’s finances and longevity. Annually, an estimated 79% of small businesses lack access to the capital necessary for growth—representing a $100 billion gap in small business funding. These businesses require assistance in accessing appropriate capital and avoiding exploitative products.

This platform helps under-resourced small business owners gain access to capital by empowering them to better manage their finances. “Economic opportunity extends beyond capital access,” says Sandy Fernandez, Vice President of Social Impact at the Center for Inclusive Growth and Head of the Mastercard Strive USA program, which is supporting this initiative. “It also involves providing underserved small business owners with the financial knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to build a strong financial foundation, plan for the long term, and access responsible, affordable financial products. We are proud to partner with AOF to offer this innovative learning platform to small business owners and contribute to their ambitious vision of expanding their lending operations over the next five years.”

This platform is the only digital financial learning platform with content created by small business owners who understand the challenges of overcoming financial obstacles. Drawing upon AOF’s 30+ years of experience creating opportunities for millions of business owners, the platform is free, adaptable, and relevant to owners at every stage. It simplifies “small business finance” into focused topics that can be learned anywhere, eliminating guesswork by guiding users onto personalized learning paths based on their specific financial needs. As users progress, they unlock free tools and templates for immediate practical application.

With the launch of this platform, Accion Opportunity Fund and Mastercard Strive USA are accelerating the broader movement to expand and strengthen mission-driven lending nationwide. Visit [website address] to join the learning community and follow AOF on [social media platform] for updates.

About Accion Opportunity Fund

Accion Opportunity Fund works to advance economic mobility for underserved small businesses through affordable capital, knowledge resources, networks, and policy advocacy.

About the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth promotes equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion globally. The Center utilizes the company’s core resources—including data insights, expertise, and technology—and administers the philanthropic Mastercard Impact Fund to conduct independent research, scale global initiatives, and empower a network of thinkers, leaders, and practitioners at the forefront of inclusive growth. For more information and updates, follow the Center on [social media platforms] and subscribe to its newsletter.

Media Contact:
Meredith Medlin Dooley, VP of Partnerships & Programs, AOF,
 
615.584.3409

Accion Opportunity Fund (https://aofund.org/) (PRNewsfoto/Accion Opportunity Fund)

SOURCE Accion Opportunity Fund

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