How CDFIs can boost Black business ownership

For the past three years, we’ve supported Black British entrepreneurs through the Future 100 Growth Fund, in partnership with the Black Equity Organisation.   No Knot Co is one of the businesses that has thrived with that support.   Spotting a gap in the market for tools designed for curly and coily hair, founder Keshia built a brand that’s making the hair industry more inclusive.    Listen to her story below 👇

Atlanta has long been the blueprint, the place where Black entrepreneurship, culture, and community power intersect. But new data is telling a more complicated story. Black-owned businesses are growing in number, yet still earning just a fraction of their counterparts. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eUBqHqqd

From Andre Perry: "Despite growing recognition of the importance of Black entrepreneurship, Black-owned businesses remain underrepresented in high-growth sectors and undercapitalized relative to their peers. Traditional financial institutions often fail to meet the needs of Black entrepreneurs due to risk-averse lending practices, limited cultural competency, and a lack of relationship-based models. CDFIs, particularly those with a mission-driven focus, have emerged as critical intermediaries—but their reach, capacity, and impact vary widely."

Supporting Black artists and businesses is more than just a transaction—it's an investment in the community's future. Recently, The Black Business School proudly sponsored Dee-1's tour, witnessing firsthand the power of Black economics in action. Sold-out venues demonstrated what's possible when resources are pooled together with a common objective. It's about tenacity, courage, and a belief in ourselves. And a quick look at stocks like Affirm, reveals opportunities for financial empowerment. The community has what it takes to win. #BlackEconomics #SupportBlackBusiness #CommunityInvestment #FinancialEmpowerment

ACANEA introduced CIBC Bank as an official partner to support Black entrepreneurs in gaining access to financing, credit, and business development assistance. This partnership marks an important step toward creating new economic opportunities and fostering the growth of businesses within the Black Francophone community.

Warning long Post: Over the past few weeks, I’ve been watching many Chambers across our province host their annual awards and galas — and I have to be honest, it’s disappointing to see how little diversity there still is in 2025. When I say diversity, I mean Black businesses. There are incredible Black-owned businesses in every single sector of Nova Scotia, yet they are often missing from these spaces — from the event stages to the photos, to the marketing materials and websites. And let me be clear — I don’t mean seeing one or two Black businesses or even a handful of marginalized business owners in a room of 100 to 350 people. That’s not representation. That’s tokenism. It makes me question whether some Chambers truly don’t realize how this looks from the outside, or if they’re fully aware and simply don’t care. Either way, the message it sends is loud. I speak at so many events across this province, not just as a successful Black woman entrepreneur, but as someone trying to open doors for others who look like me — showing them that yes, these rooms are also meant for them. But I can’t do this alone. The Halifax Chamber of Commerce deserves recognition for how intentional they’ve become around Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). It took time, effort, and accountability to get where they are — and even they’ll tell you there’s still more work to do. A lot of other Chambers across Nova Scotia should really be mimicking or paying close attention to what the Halifax Chamber has done. Their actions show that with the right commitment, progress is possible. Representation matters — and so does accountability.Lets do better!!!

At First Enterprise, we know that access to finance is powerful 💸 - but what entrepreneurs do with that access is transformative. For Part 3 of our Black History Month series, we’re spotlighting Black entrepreneurs who’ve used our loans to grow, innovate, and lead 🚀. From launching new ventures to scaling existing ones, these founders are turning capital into community impact. They’re creating jobs, building wealth, and reshaping what’s possible for the next generation. Their success stories are proof that when opportunity meets ambition, change follows. We’re proud to be part of their journey — and even prouder to see what’s next 🙌🏾.

For Black entrepreneurs, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has long been one of the few federal lifelines amid systemic exclusion from wealth creation. In a new op-ed in The Washington Informer, Joint Center President Dedrick Asante-Muhammad and Eric Morrissette, Joint Center senior fellow and former acting under secretary of commerce for the MBDA, explain why the deliberate dismantling of the agency is both a moral failure and an economic crisis. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/embtbXr5

Part 1 Legacy-black.com :Closing the Wealth Gap and Changing the Trajectory of Our Community The statistic alone is enough to stop you in your tracks: £23,700 vs £197,000. That’s the stark difference in median Black household wealth in the UK, compared to the national median. A gap that has generational consequences. A gap that determines access, opportunity, wellbeing, choice — and ultimately, freedom. I was present when Dr. Raphael Sofoluke announced Legacy Black, and the atmosphere in that room was unlike anything I’ve experienced in a long time. It was bold. It was intentional. It was overdue. It was the start of something that could truly reshape the trajectory of Black economic empowerment in the UK. This wasn’t just an announcement. It was a statement of collective ambition. ⸻ A Different Landscape, A Different Reality In the UK, we are a community of around 2.4 million Black people. In the United States, that number is about 48.3 million. That difference matters. It means: • Our market is smaller. • Our representation is thinner. • Our access to capital and influence is more concentrated. • And yes — we often have to work 10 times harder for the same level of visibility, resourcing, or opportunity. And yet — despite the scale difference — we have produced brilliance. Examples of what success can look like: Steven Bartlett Dr. Raphael Sofoluke Entrepreneurs. Investors. Culture-shapers. Change-makers. But we need more. More examples. More models. More pathways. More possibilities. ⸻ Collaboration is the Key — But Not Just Any Collaboration What we now need is more of those examples: more Black entrepreneurs, more access to capital, and more collaboration across our ecosystem. But it’s deeper than that. We need more of us in the rooms where decisions are being made — individuals in positions of influence who genuinely recognise our value. People who see the strategic advantage of the lived experiences, cultural intelligence, perspective and creativity we carry. Our unique qualities are not liabilities to be managed They are assets to be leveraged. This is what happens when we: • Work together • Lift one another up • Collaborate across industries • Intentionally amplify, sponsor and elevate each other This is how we create conscious change that benefits all of us — not just a select few who “make it out”. I’m here to help!! Check out part 2

THE EXHIBITION HAS RETURNED! BLACK FOUNDERS: AN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION CONNECTING BLACK ENTREPRENEURS FROM BRAZIL TO THE AFRICAN DIASPORA The Black Founders movement is back — now in its international edition, reaffirming the transformative power of global Black leadership. After highlighting the voices driving Afro-entrepreneurship in Brazil, the exhibition expands its reach, connecting the Brazilian Afro-entrepreneurial ecosystem with strategic references from the African diaspora, strengthening bridges between Latin America, Africa, and Europe. More than an exhibition, Black Founders is a space for dialogue, reconnection, and celebration. Honoring stories that inspire new generations and showcasing the impact of Black innovation in business, culture, and society. Created by Dijara Santos, CEO of Africa 360, the exhibition brings together visual experiences, inspiring narratives, and global connections that recover ancestry while projecting the future. We have restarted and continue building bridges between those who create, transform, and lead tomorrow.