Our Work

Anchoring small businesses. Building wealth. Strengthening communities.

Small businesses are essential to thriving communities, but too often, they face barriers to growth, limited access to capital, and systems that weren’t designed with them in mind. At The Center, we work to change that. We support small businesses directly, strengthen the systems around them, and help communities navigate disruption. Our work is grounded in the understanding that small business success is deeply tied to the strength, stability, and resilience of the communities they serve.

Our Impact



11,396

Small Businesses Supported



$209M+

Relief Deployed



30+

Programs Delivered

How We Work

Group of four brainstorming over a table covered with miscellaneous items

Fuel Business Growth

We help small businesses grow, stabilize, and plan for the future through hands-on support, practical tools, and access to capital.

Our work includes cohort-based programs, one-on-one advising, and targeted accelerators. We also strengthen the broader ecosystem by equipping advisors, organizations, and partners to better support entrepreneurs.

Across everything we do, we integrate capital readiness and connect businesses to the financial resources they need to succeed.

→ Explore our programs and services

Happy family hugging and smiling seeing each other in front of their home

Catalyze Generational Wealth

We are expanding our work to help business owners build and sustain wealth over time.

Through succession planning, ownership transition strategies, and long-term business planning, we aim to ensure that small businesses remain anchors in their communities and that the value they create can be carried forward across generations.

This is an evolving area of work, and we are actively building partnerships to shape and scale this effort.

→ Interested in partnering with us? Get in touch.

Group of construction workers discussing and reviewing blueprints

Advance Equitable Crisis Recovery

Communities are facing more frequent and complex disruptions, from climate-related disasters to changing economic conditions. Small businesses are often among the hardest hit.

We help businesses and communities prepare for what’s ahead while also supporting them through recovery. Our work spans long-term resilience by helping businesses adapt, reduce costs, and participate in the green economy. Our immediate recovery efforts ensure rebuilding is equitable and built for long-term impact.

→ Learn more about our climate resilience work
→ Learn more about our disaster recovery work

2025 Impact Report

In 2025, The Center advanced new strategies to support small businesses navigating economic disruption, climate impacts, and recovery. We launched Main Street Goes Green, expanded statewide technical assistance through the CA REACH Hub, and responded to the LA County wildfires by helping administer critical household relief grants. This year’s Impact Report highlights these milestones and the continued work underway to strengthen small businesses and the communities they anchor. Download the full report to learn more about our impact.

Download the Report