About Accion Opportunity Fund - Support for Small Business Owners
Accion Opportunity Fund is committed to advancing economic mobility for women and people of color who own small businesses and low-income communities through affordable financial services, knowledge resources, networks, and policy. Learn more about how our support for small business owners is helping minority-owned businesses to thrive.
About Us
Accion Opportunity Fund is an unparalleled financial support system that provides small business owners in the US with access to capital, networks, and coaching.
Small business owners uplift communities and anchor local economies, while creating opportunities for themselves, their families, their employees, and our neighborhoods. Yet entrepreneurs who are people of color, women, and low-to-moderate income often struggle to secure capital and resources, as they are systematically shut out from traditional financing. In 2020, Accion Opportunity Fund was formed as Accion U.S. Network and Opportunity Fund came together. Together, we fight for an inclusive and accessible financial system so small business owners of all identities can thrive.
At Accion Opportunity Fund we, offer support for small business owners by providing them with fairly priced loans, educational resources, coaching, and support networks in English and Spanish. Accion Opportunity Fund Community Development is the lending arm of Accion Opportunity Fund.
For over 30 years, we have served a client base that is over 90% women, people of color, and/or low-to-moderate income. Our clients’ businesses have historically had a 96% survival rate, compared to the national small business survival rate of 50%.
These small business owners have so often been shut out of traditional financing. We provide fast, personalized services to support them as they grow towards sustainability. We offer our services across the nation, so that small businesses can reach us regardless of where or who they are. As our work continues and small business owners continue to grow their impact we are a force for good, for equality, and a just economy for all.
Accion Opportunity Fund is known for a highly personalized approach to working with clients. We’ve translated our high-touch, on-the-ground experience into a seamless and personal digital experience. Small business owners work hard to be there for their communities. They keep showing up during the hardest of times, so we’re working just as hard to deliver the financing and support they need.
Our Board
- Greg Avis (Chair), Bangtail Partners, Managing Partner, Board Member since 2015
- Todd Baker, Broadmoor Consulting, Managing Principal, Board Member since 2018
- Gopi Billa, Deloitte, Principal, Board Member since 2024
- Swati Bhatia (Secretary), Goldman Sachs, Partner, Head of D2C, Board Member since 2019
- Phil Black, True Ventures, Co-Founder, Board Member since 2019
- Dickson Chu, Copper, Inc., CEO, Board Member since 2018
- Caretha Coleman (Vice Chair), Coleman Consulting, CEO, Board Member since 2020
- Solana Cozzo, Mastercard, SVP, Global Debit Product Mgt, Board Member since 2020
- Joni Cropper, Cropper Family Fund, Board Member since 2016
- Debra Engel, Engel Family Fund, Board Member since 2017
- Madeleine Fackler, International Rescue Committee, CIO, Board Member since 2019
- Brian Graham, Klaros Group, Managing Partner, Board Member since 2016
- Parker Hudnut, ICEF Public Schools, CEO, Board Member since 2017
- Lata Krishnan, Shah Capital Partners, Board Member since 2020
- Juanita Lott, Portfolia Investments, Partner, Board Member since 2020
- Samuel Ramos, Global Atlantic Financial Group, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel & Secretary, Board Member since 2023
- Michael Schlein, Accion, President and CEO, Board Member since 2020
- Diana Taylor, Accion, Board Chair, Board Member since 2020
- Luz Urrutia, Accion Opportunity Fund, CEO, Board Member since 2018
- Karthik Venkataraman, Accion, COO, Board Member since 2024
Small Business Loans
We provide financial support for small businesses with transparent business loans.
Business Advising
Accion Opportunity Fund’s business advising services include coaching, access to networks, and free resources including blog posts, tools, and webinars that help small businesses thrive.
New Markets Tax Credits
We invest in community service focused projects with the potential to transform low-income communities. These projects are typically located in “targeted distress” (very low-income) census tracts where the poverty rate is 20% or higher, or the median family income is below 80% of the Area Median Income.
Advocacy: Support Groups for Small Business Owners
Our advocacy vision is to help create an inclusive world in which all entrepreneurs have the opportunity to make their dreams come true, and struggling communities become economically vibrant. To succeed, we need to change the broader systems impacting our work and the communities we serve.
Work With Us
Would you like to spend your working day committed to making a difference in the lives of hard-working people in and around your community? If you share our commitment to social change, our entrepreneurial spirit, and our focus on results, please apply.
