Accessity

Accessity has goals to continue as the leading mission-based lender in Southern California, improving its efficiency to increase the number of small business owners served with direct financing and business training. In addition, the organization's goals include increased work to track impact statistics, increasing efficiency through technology platforms, diversifying products to serve niche entrepreneurial markets, increasing grassroots marketing to underserved small business owners, and offering in-depth technical assistance to borrowers through unique partnerships.

Overall, Accessity seeks to attract and garner support for its programs by generating more public awareness surrounding local microfinance activities, while boosting donor confidence as the program expands to serve additional community members.

Accessing capital is one of the biggest obstacles faced by small business owners. Capital may be out of reach due to lack of or damaged credit histories, limited financial literacy, short operating histories, and language and cultural barriers. These issues can often be related to or compounded by the income level, ethnicity, race, and/or gender of the business owner, as these factors have historically been linked to lower rates of approval by traditional lenders. Accessity aims to address these gaps in access, and 89% of our active clients are low- to moderate-income, minority, or female business owners.

Accessity's program works with borrowers to deliver individualized creative solutions tailored to their needs and offers one-on-one assistance services to improve financial health and business acumen. With loans ranging from $300 to $100,000, Accessity provides business owners access to flexible loans to start or expand a business that is underserved by the traditional lending market.

Accessity has found that the most effective way to help borrowers develop their business skills, while mitigating losses, is to offer individualized training on an as-needed basis by our staff or partner organizations. Staff assesses the needs of each borrower and appropriately matches them with an opportunity to increase their knowledge. Accessity partners directly with the Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), SCORE, and Women's Business Centers to connect small businesses with additional mentoring and coaching.

Our staff of approximately 30 come from a diverse set of populations, therefore adding to the understanding of local community needs. Accessity's leadership team has over 80 years of aggregate relevant experience. Accessity’s CEO, Elizabeth Schott, who has been with Accessity since 2004, has 20 years of experience managing and executing on strategies for small businesses and nonprofits to meet their goals. Javier Islas has been with Accessity since 2010 as CFO, and oversees the finance and accounting of the organization. Director of Strategic Initiatives Valery Belloso has been with Accessity since 2006 and is an expert in lending, education, and business development. Accessity's Chief Credit & Operating Officer Robert Lopez re-joined Accessity in July 2018 after previously working for the organization from 2008 to 2014 and is responsible for lending staff supervision and training, program development, underwriting, loan portfolio quality, compliance management, loss mitigation and recovery, and operational efficiency. Mar Diteos Rendon joined Accessity in 2022 as the Chief Business Development Officer. Mar works to identify and lead initiatives for the organization’s growth/brand and oversees the organization’s business development and marketing teams. Based in Los Angeles, Mar brings more than 15 years of experience, focused on growth, strategy, finance, business development, and entrepreneurship.

Since its inception in 1994, Accessity has disbursed approximately $70 million through more than 5,550 loans so that small businesses can start, maintain, and grow operations. To continue to serve more of Southern California's entrepreneurs, the organization developed a strategic set of directions focused on efficient growth to meet the continued demand for service. Accessity serves the Southern California region of San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Imperial counties. Accessity has identified a pressing need for services in Southern California and will address this critical need by offering loans from $300 to $100,000 and business training for entrepreneurs. Through access to capital and ongoing education, business owners have the chance to build credit, boost household income and make lasting economic contributions to their communities.