OFN Member CDFI Empowers Women Entrepreneurs Through Trust-Based Lending
Ashley Austin, Senior Associate, Marketing at Opportunity Finance Network
Read time: 2 minutes
In March, during Women’s History Month, we sat down with Rashidah Alshams of JUST Community, an Austin-based community development financial institution (CDFI) breaking down financial barriers for Black and Brown women entrepreneurs and other small business owners. Rashidah—an entrepreneur and former JUST client herself—shares how JUST’s trust-based approach goes beyond credit scores and past histories.
In the video below, you’ll hear how JUST co-creates solutions with their clients, rewards milestones like early loan repayments, and empowers business owners to build assets—even to the point of homeownership. It’s a perfect story of CDFI impact to spotlight during Women’s History Month and beyond.
JUST has made 16,000 loans to women entrepreneurs and lent over $32 million while maintaining a 99% repayment rate. They have supported over 5,000 people like Rashidah in their entrepreneurial journeys — and according to the Harvard Flourishing Index, 97% of JUST clients are flourishing!
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