NEW YORK, NY / AGILITYPR.NEWS / April 23, 2026 / Ascendus, a national community development financial institution (CDFI) with more than 30 years of experience deploying capital and financial education to small business owners across the country, participated in the April 2026 convening of the Aspen Institute’s Microfinance Impact Collaborative (MIC) — a working group of six of the largest CDFI microlenders in the United States committed to expanding access to capital for underserved entrepreneurs.

CEO Paul Quintero and COO Ana Hammock represented Ascendus at the multi-day convening, which brought together MIC members — Ascendus, Accion Opportunity Fund, Allies for Community Business, DreamSpring, Justine PETERSEN, LiftFund, and Scale Link — alongside partners from the Aspen Institute’s Business Ownership Initiative (BOI) and external sector contributors. Together, participants advanced collaborative research, exchanged field learnings, and strengthened shared strategies to expand the reach and impact of mission-driven small business lending.

What the Collaborative Addressed

Discussions spanned four interconnected themes central to the future of CDFI microlending:

• New Financial Performance Metrics. Members examined emerging financial metrics designed to provide a sharper lens into the performance and strategic decision-making of CDFI small business lenders, including a five-year retrospective analysis of key sector trends.
• Strategic Partnerships and Product Collaboration. Participants explored how MIC members and other small business lenders can build partnerships that leverage the specialized expertise and loan product systems each organization has developed over time, expanding collective reach and deepening impact in underserved communities.
• Disaster Recovery Lending. The collaborative shared learnings on the financial products small businesses need in the wake of natural disasters and other systemic disruptions — from supply chain breakdowns to prolonged infrastructure projects — and what CDFIs require to deliver those products responsively and equitably.
• Trends in Banking and Financial Services. Members examined broader shifts across the financial landscape — including the anticipated wave of new bank charters — and explored what these developments could mean for the future of CDFI microlending. Brian Graham of Klaros Group contributed sector insights on this topic.

Insights from the April MIC convening will inform two sessions at OFN’s 13th Annual Small Business Finance Forum, taking place June 10–12, 2026, in Austin, Texas — the premier national gathering for mission-driven small business lenders, partners, and advocates.

• From Crisis to Continuity: CDFI Strategies for Disaster-Driven Business Interruption: Thursday, June 11, 2026 | 2:30 – 3:45 PM | Deep Dive | Track: Strategies for Entrepreneurial Success. This session moves beyond reactive recovery to explore how CDFIs can proactively support small businesses before, during, and after disruption — examining decision-making frameworks, timing trade-offs, and coordination challenges shaping recovery outcomes through real-world scenarios and guided peer exchange.
• Crafting an Impact Strategy that Meets the Moment: Friday, June 12, 2026 | 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM | Workshop | Track: Data-Driven Impact. This interactive workshop draws on real-world examples to explore how CDFIs can develop and deploy impact measurement and management (IMM) frameworks that align with existing workflows, remain adaptable amid policy shifts, and integrate data with storytelling to communicate their unique role in the lending ecosystem.

Both sessions are open to all SBFF attendees and will offer practical, field-tested approaches for CDFI practitioners, funders, and policymakers working to advance equitable small business finance.