| A new SBA rule would redraw the line on what counts as a "small business" and make roughly 110,000 more firms — including billion-dollar corporations — eligible for federal contracts and SBA loans. Comments are due by Sept. 21. |
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By altering bank asset thresholds and weakening grants, proposed changes to the Community Reinvestment Act could shrink private capital flowing to communities that already struggle to attract investment. Read Opportunity Finance Network's statement and comment by Oct. 13. |
| The U.S. Black Chambers says that government-imposed caps on credit card interest rates would eliminate or limit credit lines for 85% of Americans with a credit score below 800. |
| How can CDFIs respond to disasters better and faster? The Aspen Institute's new “From Crisis to Continuity” brief draws on field experience from DreamSpring and five other micro-lenders for real-world recommendations. |
| Interviewing DreamSpring and other CDFIs, Emory researchers found that lenders who emphasize relationships with borrowers, instead of credit scores, see better repayment outcomes. |
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The Credit: Expanding Opportunity initiative, designed by ideas42 and backed by JPMorganChase, is testing ways of keeping more loan applicants with sub- and near-prime credit from dropping off through the process. (DreamSpring is proud to be part of the cohort!) |
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The National Federation of Independent Business’ latest survey finds that despite uncertainty about the economy, small business owners have above-average optimism about their own firms. |