Working Solutions CDFI

08/25/2026

Looking for capital to grow your business? 💼✨

Join the San Mateo Small Business Development Center in Los Altos on Thursday, September 17th for a "Meet the Lender Mixer" with Working Solutions and WaFd Bank!

Here’s what’s in store:
🤝 Direct Access: Connect with local lenders ready to help you secure funding.
☕ Community Connections: Network with Bay Area business owners over refreshments.
💡 Expert Insights: Get 1-on-1 strategy guidance from industry specialists.

Event Details:
📅 Date: Thursday, Sept 17, 2026
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Location: WaFd Bank (4546 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA)
🎟️ No-Cost

Register now: https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/55099

Office of the Small Business Advocate Renaissance Peninsula

08/21/2026

: Thank you to the Sobrato Family Foundation of Sobrato Philanthropies for its generous support of Working Solutions and our mission as the in small business! Together, we are creating more pathways to economic mobility in Silicon Valley and opportunity for entrepreneurs in Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Southern Alameda Counties.

08/19/2026

: Monique and Paul Feybesse are the classically trained chefs and spouses behind Oakland’s acclaimed patisserie, Tarts de Feybesse.

The business, which started in the couple’s home, first found viral success on Instagram in 2016, and took another leap in 2020, when Monique and Paul’s baking grew from a pandemic side project into a full pastry operation in a commissary kitchen. When the couple felt sure they could sustain the rapid growth of their business, they set their sights on opening their first brick-and-mortar shop in Oakland.

To make the leap from commissary to storefront, Monique and Paul needed capital sized to what a growing bakery could actually handle. Working Solutions stepped in with two loans — one for the custom display case now at the heart of their shop, and one for build-out and startup costs. Today, Tarts de Feybesse is a two-time James Beard nominee for Outstanding Bakery that continues to grow organically and sustainably, one sold-out day at a time.

Read more about Monique and Paul's story on our website: www.workingsolutions.org/tartsdefeybesse

A special thank you to Bond Studio for partnering with us to tell this story!

08/18/2026

Antioch entrepreneurs, it's time for our next Small Business Community Mixer!

If you've been thinking about starting a business — opening a home-based daycare, launching a cottage food business, going out on your own as a consultant, or growing a venture you've already started — we want to support you!

Small Business Community Mixer
📅 Monday, August 31 | 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 The Pour Up Wine Bar, 1 I Street, Antioch

Learn what you need to know about setting up a new business and applying for funding, and meet other entrepreneurs and established business owners in Antioch. Don't forget your business cards!

Save your spot today: https://luma.com/yjz5nzay

08/14/2026

The LaunchPad program from Makahakama Foundation provides hands-on bookkeeping education and mentorship, pairing entrepreneurs with culturally competent bookkeepers for 4 months of free support to set up and use accounting software—an essential step for business success. Get connected and learn more about the LaunchPad program at one of these upcoming events:

➡️ Join a free, virtual “Money In, Money Out” workshop on Wednesday, August 19 at 2 PM PDT to get tools to manage your business finances with confidence. Register: https://luma.com/launchpad-workshops

➡️ Hear directly from three LaunchPad program participants—including Working Solutions alum, The Geez Freeze—about how they're putting their learning into action at the inaugural LaunchPad "Real Talk" conversation on Wednesday, August 26 at 11 AM. Register: https://luma.com/gdi4hmnm

One of the most powerful aspects of LaunchPad is our growing community of entrepreneurs who keep it real—sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly of…

08/12/2026

: Thank you to Capital One for supporting Working Solutions as the in small business! With continued support from Capital One, Working Solutions is proud to help fuel local economic growth and expand services for entrepreneurs in Alameda County’s small business community. Thank you, Capital One!

08/07/2026

: This week, Working Solutions CDFI Solutions and Main Street Launch gathered in Oakland to celebrate the contributions of our board members who have completed their terms.

We are grateful for the leadership and service of Working Solutions Board members Emily Gasner, Haseeb Chaudhry, Lena Robinson, Marci Rosenfeld, Mindy Christensen, and Olivia Rebanal, and Main Street Launch Board members Arthur Washington, Jim Wong, Mark Alan Lindquist, Stephanie Jones, and Wendell Jones.

These dedicated individuals have helped to shape and guide our two organizations for many years, and their leadership has made our next phase in strategic partnership possible. Thank you!

07/30/2026

Earlier this month, Working Solutions CEO Sara Razavi was a featured speaker at the 2026 Financial Innovations Roundtable, hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Center for Impact Finance!

This year's roundtable examined how new institutional models — including mergers, shared service platforms, and networked systems — can help CDFIs expand reach and deepen impact in underserved communities. Sara delivered a keynote on the phases of CDFI consolidation and facilitated a panel on assessing organizational readiness for integration.

Read more: https://www.workingsolutions.org/news/ceo-sara-razavi-featured-at-2026-financial-innovations-roundtable

07/16/2026

Working Solutions is excited to announce that we have reached $75 million invested in California small businesses! In late 2024, we set out to double our all-time deployment from $50 million to $100 million by 2029, and we are well ahead of schedule. This bold goal is the cornerstone of our current 5-year strategic plan—impact at scale. We are thrilled to celebrate this $75 million milestone, representing nearly 3,500 small-dollar loans and grants to small businesses across California.

Read more about this milestone achievement: www.workingsolutions.org/news/celebrating-75million

07/09/2026

What does it look like to build a business without selling out your values?

For María Blum-Sullivan of Paraíso Plant Studio in Berkeley, it meant turning down investors who would have asked her to hide her commitments to LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities. It meant not paying herself for the first year and reinvesting every dollar back into something she believed in.

When Paraíso was ready to expand into a larger storefront, María needed capital — but on her own terms. Through the City of Berkeley's small business program, she connected with Working Solutions, which provided flexible loans that made the dream possible without asking her to compromise on her values.

María also raised over $200,000 from her own community bond campaign — hundreds of people investing small amounts to be part of something joyful.

This is what values-aligned growth looks like. 🌿

Learn more about how Working Solutions supports small businesses like Paraíso → www.workingsolutions.org/loan-program