Supporting Entrepreneurs

As two of the nation’s leading nonprofit small business lenders, Accion and Opportunity Fund help entrepreneurs thrive by providing affordable capital and support services so they can start a new business endeavor or grow an existing enterprise. Accion and Opportunity Fund came together to develop a first-of-its-kind national longitudinal study of the impact of small business loans in the United States. Following a cohort of more than 500 borrowers across the country, the study examines how business owners define success and how access to finance improves their entrepreneurial goals, financial health, and quality of life. This report shares preliminary findings on the qualitative impacts of lending on individuals, their businesses, and their broader communities.