Small Business Loans

Oppportunity Fund lends to local small businesses that often do not qualify for a bank loan. When we lend a hand and help them to grow, the results are impressive: businesses succeed and our entire regional economy improves.

Results to Date

When a small business owner takes out a loan, what happens?

Incomes rise

Opportunity Fund small businesses report a 27% increase in business income after receiving a loan

Jobs are created

• 50% increase in the number of employees per business
• On average, 2.1 jobs created or sustained per business two years after receiving a loan

Businesses succeed

Opportunity Fund small business borrowers have an 85% survival rate (nearly twice the national small business survival rate of just 44%).

Entrepreneurs gain confidence
95% of Opportunity Fund's borrowers report an increased ability to manage their business as a result
of working with our program.

When Opportunity Fund invests over $12 million
in local small businesses, what happens?

Economic vitality

Each Opportunity Fund loan has a 2:1 return on investment. Every $1 we lend to local small businesses spurs an additional $2 in economic activity at the local level from new wages, to new taxes, to new spending.

Ripple effect

Opportunity Fund lending to Bay Area small businesses generates millions of dollars in additional economic activity in the region. Our current lending portfolio spurs an additional $17 million worth of economic activity each year- beyond the capital we invest directly in our small busines.

How do we know?

Each year, Opportunity Fund evaluates our program using MicroTest, a performance and outcome management tool developed by FIELD, a project of the Aspen Institute. In 2009, our response rate was 47%. The above information is based on our findings. As soon as 2010 data is available, we will update this page.

To learn more about our evaluation work with MicroTest, click here.

In addition, Opportunity Fund comissioned TXP, Inc. -an independent research firm - to conduct an economic analysis of our microlending portfolio on the regional economy over the past 15 years. Ripple Effect is the report that shares their findings about our work.

To read the full report, visit the Publications section of our website.