Our Resource Providers

Blue Ridge Lending Partners delivers flexible small-business loans to entrepreneurs across western and central North Carolina, with a focus on underserved rural communities that lack access to conventional bank financing.

Mountain Access Capital provides patient, affordable loan capital to small businesses operating in the mountain communities of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, prioritizing ventures that create local jobs.

Carolina Business Finance offers SBA-backed and direct small-business loans throughout the Carolinas, specializing in micro-lending programs designed to reach early-stage businesses and minority entrepreneurs.

The Foothills Loan Fund serves small businesses in the North Carolina foothills region with affordable working-capital and equipment loans, helping local entrepreneurs grow their operations without predatory terms.

Southern Appalachian Lending Corp is a CDFI lender focused on rural small-business capital in the southern Appalachian highlands of North Carolina and Tennessee, providing loans from $5,000 to $250,000.

The Uwharrie Community Development Fund channels affordable lending directly to small businesses and microenterprises in the Uwharrie region of central North Carolina, filling gaps left by traditional lenders.

Appalachian Capital Fund provides below-market-rate business loans and credit-builder programs to entrepreneurs in the Appalachian highlands of North Carolina, supporting economic resilience through accessible capital.

Bridgeway Capital deploys flexible financing and business advisory services to underserved entrepreneurs and low-income communities across western Pennsylvania, offering loans from startup through expansion.

Kentucky Mountain Finance Authority is a CDFI lender providing affordable small-business and commercial real-estate loans to entrepreneurs in the rural mountain counties of eastern and southeastern Kentucky.

The Catawba Valley Loan Fund finances small businesses and startups in upstate South Carolina with flexible, accessible loan products designed for entrepreneurs who cannot qualify for conventional bank credit.

Community Reinvestment Fund USA is a leading national CDFI offering SBA lending, New Markets Tax Credits, and other financing tools to small businesses in underserved communities across the country, including all seven Appalachian states in the DeepRoots network.

Mountain BizWorks provides small-business coaching, financial literacy training, and micro-loan referrals to entrepreneurs in western North Carolina, with deep roots in the mountain communities it serves.

The Appalachian Entrepreneurship Network connects small-business owners across North Carolina's Appalachian region with mentors, markets, and resources, delivering workshops, cohort programs, and one-on-one advising.

PCRG provides technical assistance, community investment advocacy, and capacity-building support to small businesses and CDFIs in the Pittsburgh metro area and across southwestern Pennsylvania.

Coalfield Development builds sustainable economies in Appalachian coalfield communities through workforce development, entrepreneurship training, and technical assistance for small-business owners in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Virginia.

The Virginia SBDC delivers free, confidential business advising and low-cost training to startups and existing small businesses throughout Virginia and the West Virginia border region, covering finance, marketing, and business planning.

Tennessee Valley Business Partners provides technical assistance, business planning support, and market-access programs to small businesses and entrepreneurs across Tennessee's rural counties in the Appalachian region.