Addressing a growing small business financing gap

Our mission

Our secondary market is a tool that empowers CDFIs to close the small business financing gap that disproportionately affects very small businesses and entrepreneurs of color. 

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the driving force behind job creation, particularly during times of economic recovery. With more than 10.5 million new business applications in 2021 and 2022, women and people of color are leading the way in this historic small business boom. However, a growing small business financing gap threatens to derail this progress. 

A history of inequity

This financing gap reflects a long-standing pattern of disinvestment and discrimination by the financial system toward entrepreneurs of color. Despite controlling for factors like business performance and credit scores, Black and Latino entrepreneurs are routinely denied funding at higher rates than White business owners. These discrepancies entrench the racial wealth gap, leaving entrepreneurial potential untapped and exacerbating existing inequities.

Additionally, entrepreneurs of color are more likely to apply for small-dollar loans of less than $100,000. The market for these loans has all but evaporated since the Great Recession because they are not cost-efficient for banks compared to larger loans – meaning CDFIs are in many cases the only affordable financing option for very small and underbanked businesses.

Empowering CDFIs

CDFIs play a critical role in closing the small business capital gap and creating a more equitable small business financing system for the long-term. However, their resources are constrained, which affects their ability to expand their lending. This is where Scale Link's approach comes in. By providing consistent, unrestricted, and long-term funding to CDFIs through a viable secondary market, Scale Link can help power the resiliency and expansion of the CDFI industry in the coming years.

Board of directors

Robert Villarreal

Treasurer

Francisco Lopez

Alberto Paracchini

Secretary

Board Member

Joyce Klein

Andy Kaufman

Board Member

Chair

Bernard Worthy

Andrea Levere

Vice Chair

Board Member

Amber Kuchar-Bell

Sara Razavi

Board Member

Board Member

Board of Directors

Fund Management

  • Brett Simmons

    Chief Executive Officer

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  • Jonathan Brereton

    Chief Strategy and Finance Officer

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  • Laura Pich

    Financial Operations Manager

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  • Chelsea Probus

    Business Development Manager

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  • Amirah Hewitt

    Data Analyst

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  • Max Gaegauf

    Senior Financial Operations Analyst

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Our partners

Working with us

Scale Link is intentionally designed as a lean, narrowly focused non-profit, intent on being agile and responding to CDFI microlender capital needs, whether there is a pandemic or 3% unemployment. It has no direct staff, instead relying on expert third parties properly incentivized to deliver results. The fund manager for Scale Link is Revolve Asset Management. Revolve is led by Brett Simmons and Jonathan Brereton. You can learn more about Revolve here.

Career openings

  • We currently have no open roles but you are welcome to express your interest by submitting a resume to info@scalelink.org.

    Revolve Asset Management (RAM) is a financial management firm that creates sustainable collaborations between banks and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) with the express purpose of expanding access to small business capital for women, people of color, and low- income entrepreneurs. RAM believes that this access, coupled with the support CDFIs provide, creates upward mobility and economic opportunity. RAM specializes in how the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) can be leveraged to increase capital access.

    In 2020, RAM helped found, and now manages, Scale Link. Scale Link is the first of its kind non-profit that creates and manages a secondary market for CDFI originated microloans. RAM and Scale Link are start-ups in the impact and investing space trying to create unique and innovative methods for delivering more capital to entrepreneurs in need.

    Position with RAM/Scale Link are remote but applicants must have the ability to travel on a limited bases (less than 10%). Compensation packages commensurate with experience. Healthcare, dental, vision, and retirement match provided.

Our funders