Across our markets, expanded outreach and consistent presence became central to this effort. The lending team participated in 330 community-based events, engaging more than 13k entrepreneurs and partners. 

This sustained engagement reinforced trust, expanded access to information and capital, and strengthened relationships before, during, and beyond loan origination. Alongside outreach, we delivered more than 8.5k hours of pre-loan financial coaching, helping entrepreneurs assess readiness and make informed decisions at critical moments. 

As financial stress intensified in 2025, we responded by increasing Technical Assistance to current clients. We delivered 3,059 hours of one-on-one post-loan support, enabling earlier and more proactive guidance around cash flow, credit, and business decision-making—contributing to a 64% reduction in client unresponsiveness across the portfolio.

To further support businesses under strain, we introduced a new restructuring policy for core programmatic loans, prioritizing business viability while maintaining responsible portfolio stewardship. Historically, 75% of restructured loans successfully repay, reinforcing the value of early, relationship-driven intervention.

In 2025, Ascendus released the Get Ready Research Brief, marking a milestone in how relationship-driven practice is translated into shared field knowledge. Grounded in direct work with small business owners who entered the program with limited access to traditional financing, the brief documents how timely capital paired with one-on-one coaching can shift financial trajectories.

Participants entered with an average credit score of 571, yet more than 75% remained in good standing, and 41% graduated from a $500 line to $5,000, with several accessing additional capital beyond the program. As Part One of a two-part effort, the brief reinforces a core lesson from our work: when lending meets the moment and coaching builds confidence, entrepreneurs move forward with greater stability and resilience.

Ascendus’ mission is carried forward by a long-tenured and diverse team that reflects the communities we serve. With an average tenure of seven years, 57% of staff identifying as women and nearly half identifying as Hispanic or Latino—alongside representation from Black, Asian, White, and other backgrounds—our team brings deep market knowledge, cultural fluency, and trust into daily client engagement.

In 2025, this commitment to relationship-driven work was honored through the launch of the Carmen Duperon Values Award, recognizing the legacy of our beloved Director of Services and the values—empathy, dedication, integrity, inclusion, adaptability, and passion—that continue to define how we show up.

Standing with clients in 2025 also meant showing up beyond direct service, bringing the lived realities of small business owners into national and regional conversations shaping community lending, small business finance, and economic mobility. Ascendus participated in key sector convenings and policy forums, including OFN41 – Opportunity NEXT, the OFN Small Business Finance Forum, EMERGE Financial Health – Voices of Change, NALCAB’s Policy Forum, and the Northeast / Mid-Atlantic Small Business Credit Symposium hosted at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

We also contributed to peer learning and field-building through the Microfinance Impact Collaborative and engaged in community-based policy dialogues via Hispanic Federation convenings and state-level leadership briefings, including with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, ensuring that real client experience continues to inform conversations shaping access, policy, and economic opportunity.