Expanding Economic Opportunity
We are here to create new solutions.
The Accelerator guides participants through a structured, six-stage curriculum, each focused on advancing solution development:
Problem Framing & Discovery
Define the capitalization challenge and map key stakeholders to ensure that the solution starts with clarity and evidence.
Solution Ideation & Landscape Scan
Generate and filter creative solution paths, adapting ideas from other sectors and peer models.
Concept Development & Validation
Shape the solution, test assumptions, and validate the model with stakeholders for real-world relevance.
Feasibility & Impact Modeling
Assess operational, financial, and regulatory feasibility, and model the impact of the solution.
Pilot Planning & Innovation Capital Alignment
Design a pilot project, identify risks, and develop a measurement plan to prepare for implementation and scaling.
Packaging & Demo Day Prep
Craft a compelling narrative, develop pitch materials, and rehearse the presentation for funders and peers.
Program Overview
Session Schedule
Problem Framing & Discovery
OCTOBER 9, 2025
Solution Ideation & Landscape Scan
November 13, 2025
Concept Development & Validation
December 11, 2025
Feasibility & Impact Modeling
January 15, 2026
Pilot Planning & Innovation Capital Alignment
February 12, 2026
Packaging & Demo Day Prep
March 12, 2026
Solutions in Action
Meet the Intrapreneurs: Driving Innovation from Within
Ascendus
Ascendus is developing a Graduation Capitalization Strategy to help CDFI clients transition to traditional bank lending, turning client graduation into a tool for capital recycling. With six quarters of data and over $5M in bank graduations, the model shows promise but needs systematization to ensure consistent outcomes and capital flowback.
Impact Ventures
Impact Ventures is designing a blended capital model to offer equity-like financing to entrepreneurs through CDFIs. While they’ve deployed over $2M in related products, the integrated model remains undefined, and they’re seeking clarity on how to frame the innovation as a distinct project.
Just Community
Just Community is launching a real estate investment platform to generate earnings that support its small business lending and direct service operations. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to build sustainable financial infrastructure and expand capitalization options for the organization.
MEDA
MEDA is refining a loan sale model to increase liquidity and scale lending for small business clients. Despite persistent efforts, they’ve faced challenges aligning with bank underwriting standards and converting interest into actual purchases.
Next Street
Next Street is exploring the feasibility of a mutual insurance company to serve as a utility for the CDFI sector, offering credit enhancements and pooled risk solutions to attract institutional investment. The concept draws on models like Build America Mutual and international guarantees, aiming to fill a long-standing gap in sector-wide risk-sharing.
Northern Initiatives
Northern Initiatives is developing the MI 30 Fund, a revolving loan fund aimed at attracting private capital from high-net-worth individuals and community foundations to diversify and strengthen its capitalization strategy. The fund is designed to reduce reliance on federal dollars and build more sustainable, unrestricted capital sources.
Prosperity Now
Prosperity Now is building a data platform to help CDFIs access secondary markets by aligning data collection with industry standards. The solution is well underway, supported by acquisitions and partnerships, and aims to improve liquidity and lending capacity across the field.