Blog

Dreams Dashed - Ending DACA is wrong.

Posted on Sep 08, 2017 by Eric Weaver

On September 5th, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), with no assurances that Congress would act to renew or reform it within the 6 month wind-down period. DACA participants - Dreamers - are back in limbo, after accepting a risky bargain that was offered to them in good faith. We simply cannot let this stand. In addition to the moral issue, there is also a strong economic argument for preserving DACA, and you may want to read up on it. But that is not the argument I’m making. This is a moral issue, and the Administration is wrong to take this action.

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Calling All Small Business Owners: Sign Here to Support Transparency in Small Business Lending

Posted on Sep 07, 2017 by Gabriel Villarreal

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is an agency of the United States government responsible for consumer protection in the financial sector. Recently, the CFPB released a request for information on its forthcoming initiative to collect from lenders data on small business lending trends and practices. This data collection is important. As it currently stands, there is no national data set on small business lending practices. This means that is it difficult to both identify and address any gaps in small business financing or discrimination within the industry, particularly as it applies to women- and minority-owned small businesses.

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Southern California Regional Board Welcomes Kirsten Ludwig as New Member

Posted on Aug 31, 2017 by Jacqueline Heinrich

Opportunity Fund is pleased to welcome Kirsten Ludwig as the newest member of its Southern California Reginal Board. “We are excited to have Kirsten Ludwig join the Southern California Regional Board,” said Iosefa Alofaituli, Southern California Regional Director. “Kirsten’s experience in brand strategy will not only bolster our work in Southern California, but also our significant growth throughout California and beyond, as we work towards our strategic plan of investing $500,000,000 in 50,000 people by 2020.”

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Opportunity Fund Welcomes Luz Urrutia as its New CEO!

Posted on Aug 21, 2017 by Greg Avis

Luz Urrutia to lead the organization in delivering the money and advice that drives economic mobility.

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Community Impact Advisory Board Welcomes Two New Members

Posted on Aug 07, 2017 by Jacqueline Heinrich

Opportunity Fund is pleased to welcome Tina Ferguson-Riffe and Paulina Gonzalez to our Community Impact Advisory Board. “We are excited to welcome Paulina and Tina as new members of our Community Impact Advisory Board,” said Eric Weaver, CEO and Founder. “Both Tina and Paulina have worked hard to better their communities in meaningful ways, and they offer different perspectives to Opportunity Fund’s work.”

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Cheers to our Impact in Fiscal Year 2017!

Posted on Aug 01, 2017 by Eric Weaver

June 30th marked the end of an exciting Fiscal Year 2017. With your help, Opportunity Fund invested over $66 million in loans and savings incentives and directly served more than 5,800 working families! We provided 2,188 loans to entrepreneurs, opened 502 savings accounts, and made investments in community real estate that will serve thousands.

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Difficult News about our College Savers Program

Posted on Jul 30, 2017 by Eric Weaver

To our surprise and dismay, we recently learned that the budget agreement that was reached by Congress to keep the government running through September zeroed out all funding for the Assets for Independence program, or AFI. For many years, AFI has supplied critical funding for our College Savers program by providing $1 of the $2 match for every $1 our clients save each month.

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Opportunity Fund Spotlight: Make Your Summer #OpportunityFunded

Posted on Jul 21, 2017 by Jacqueline Heinrich

Summer is a great time to get outside, try new things, and go new places. Why not make your summer #OpportunityFunded? By patronizing #OpportunityFunded businesses, you can discover new experiences right in your own community!

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Opportunity Fund Leadership Update

Posted on Jul 06, 2017 by Eric Weaver

Thank you to our outgoing Board Chair Susan Harper Greene and Board Members Yolanda and Steve for their hard work and commitment to our organization. And welcome new Chair Greg Avis!

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Responding to "Rigged," an Exposé on the Trucking Industry

Posted on Jun 27, 2017 by Gwendy Donaker Brown

A recent exposé on the trucking industry in California, “Rigged: Forced into Debt. Worked Past Exhaustion. Left with Nothing.” by USA Today, brought to light deeply concerning and exploitative practices by some truck companies. These practices damaged not only the economic well-being of many truck drivers but also their basic human rights. At Opportunity Fund, we care deeply about both human dignity and financial wellness. We also care deeply about truckers.

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