At Ascendus, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to move up.
Microlending, financial coaching, and innovation for small business owners on their journey to financial health.
Economic Mobility Is Out of Reach for Many
But for too many households across the U.S., that journey feels impossible.
Rising costs, limited access to resources, and a shrinking path to progress are making it harder than ever to move up.
Intergenerational mobility—the idea that each generation can do better than the last—is slipping away. This gap is even wider for communities of color, immigrants, and low-income families.2
Today, only 3 in 10 families are financially healthy.1
1 The Financial Health Network. 2024 U.S. Trends Report. September 2024. · 2 Mazumder, Bhash, The FRB of Chicago. Intergenerational Economic Mobility in the United States. April 2022.
Small Businesses Change Lives
Owning a business can be a powerful driver of economic mobility. Entrepreneurs typically have higher income, more savings, and stronger household wealth than non-owners.3
Small businesses represent 99.9% of all companies in the U.S., generate nearly half of the nation’s GDP, and have created 12.9 million net new jobs over the last 25 years. They are responsible for 2 out of every 3 new jobs and form the backbone of local economies.4
of all U.S. companies are small businesses
of the nation’s GDP
net new jobs over the last 25 years
new jobs come from small businesses
But behind these numbers are people—dreamers, doers, and community builders.
Yet many still can’t get a loan from a bank, and access to capital is still the hardest thing for a small business to secure. In fact, 77% of small businesses report concerns about their ability to access capital5, and 70% have less than four months of operating cash on hand.6
That’s where microlending becomes transformational—putting real financial tools in the hands of the businesses that need them most. Every small business needs access to capital and financial coaching to launch, grow, or sustain their work.
3 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Financial Security of Small Business Owners: Evidence from the Making Ends Meet Survey. January 3, 2025. · 4 Small Business FAQ, SBA Office of Advocacy 2024. · 5 Goldman Sachs. 10,000 Small Businesses Voices: Insights & Policy Recommendations. · 6 OnDeck. Small Business Trends: Financial Health & Outlook.
Financial Ascension =
Microlending + Coaching + Innovation
Our vision: Financial Ascension For All
Our holistic model blends access to loans, coaching, and innovative measurement tools to build long-term financial health and real-world outcomes—especially for business owners a bank has turned down.
Access to Capital
We provide fair, affordable small business loans—averaging $21K—tailored to meet our clients' real-world needs. Designed to flex with each business, our products help entrepreneurs build credit, gain financial experience, and unlock future capital.
Access to Financial Coaching
We go beyond funding. Every client receives free, personalized, one-on-one coaching over the life of their loan. Our approach builds confidence, strengthens habits, and guides entrepreneurs toward their business and personal financial goals.
Innovative Measurement Tools
We’re redefining what impact looks like by measuring not just business growth—but financial resilience. Our tools are built to guide and adapt alongside each client’s journey.
Our proprietary index tracks capital access across five key paths—manageable debt, credit health, business revenue, loan amount & repayment, and bank access—using 16 performance indicators to guide tailored coaching.
Developed by the Financial Health Network, this nationally recognized tool assesses financial resilience across spending, saving, borrowing, and planning. It empowers clients—and us—with actionable insights and national benchmarks.
Together, these pillars are a powerful compass—mapping each client’s unique path to financial health and ascension.
High Tech–High Touch: A Bridge to Opportunity
We know that real impact means meeting clients where they are—and helping them move up with confidence.
That’s why we’re investing in technology that uplifts. Our digital tools are designed to expand access to capital, enhance coaching, and support entrepreneurs on their journey to financial ascension—on their terms.
Technology is a platform that allows us to scale our mission, reach more communities, and deepen our impact. It helps us serve not just more clients—but serve them better.
At the core of this transformation is our Operations & Innovation promise—a commitment to listen first, collaborate with purpose, stay transparent and visible, and support our clients and staff to be resilient as they adapt and grow.
People-Centered Design
Prioritize empathy, plain language, and real-time feedback to create human-centered experiences across every touchpoint.
Integrated Systems
Connect our CRM, application, coaching, and servicing tools to deliver personalized, timely, and consistent support.
Data for Impact
Leverage tools like the FinHealth Score® and our Ascendus Borrower Index (ABI) to track progress and empower financial coaching.
Cybersecurity & Trust
Protect client data through rigorous privacy protocols, fraud prevention, and a cloud-first infrastructure designed for safety and scale.
This isn’t just tech. It’s access. It’s mobility. It’s a future where every small business owner has the tools to grow, thrive, and ascend.
Our story of Impact
For 35+ years, as a mission-driven Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), we’ve walked alongside small business owners—offering not only capital, but also confidence, knowledge, and a trusted guide on the journey to financial health.
disbursed to small businesses nationwide
entrepreneurs served with capital and coaching
jobs created and maintained in the communities where our clients live and work
repayment rate, demonstrating the strength and reliability of our clients
reflecting deep trust and high satisfaction
microlending organizations in the U.S., as recognized by the Aspen Institute
High-tech, high-touch model
With a best-in-class lending platform, digital coaching tools, and proprietary impact measurement systems.
A proven track record
Of local innovation, scaled nationally.
Over 90% team retention, 7+ year average tenure
Reflecting a people-first culture rooted in purpose and shared success.
This isn’t just impact. It’s transformation—business by business, household by household, community by community.
Lifetime figures as of December 2025 · Performance figures FY2025 · Synced automatically from Ascendus Global Data.
A Future, Even Higher
Our story is still unfolding—and the next chapter is bold, intentional, and focused on scale with purpose. Over the next three years, we’re not just growing—we’re deepening our impact where it matters most. By the end of 2027, we will create mobility through:
Empowering 3,000+ small business owners with life-changing access to capital
Delivering personalized coaching to 2,500 entrepreneurs, guiding them through financial decisions that shape their future
Sustaining an active portfolio of 4,000 clients, building long-term relationships, not just transactions
Deploying $88M in capital—fueling businesses that reinvest in their communities
This is more than a growth plan. It’s a roadmap to an economy where more small business owners not only survive but soar. Because when small businesses rise, communities ascend. And we’re just getting started.