Media Coverage
June 29, 2022
Program focused on Fort Worth’s entrepreneurs of color lends millions, with more to come*
Seth Bodine
A program meant to finance people and entrepreneurs of color announced it has loaned $7.3 million to Fort Worth residents since it started in January. At a meeting Wednesday, the city of Fort Worth-funded program, CDFI Friendly Fort Worth, shared updates on its work so far. Community development financial institutions are organizations dedicated to serving low-income and underserved communities.
*CDFI Friendly Fort Worth is not a lender, but rather connects prospective
borrowers with CDFIs now working in the Fort Worth area.
June 29, 2022
CDFI Friendly Fort Worth names nine to founding board
City of Fort Worth
CDFI Friendly Fort Worth today announced nine Fort Worth community leaders to its founding board of directors. The board includes diverse perspectives and experiences as well as a broad range of skills and experience.
June 29, 2022
CDFI Friendly Fort Worth Names Nine to Founding Board of Directors
Fort Worth Inc. staff
CDFI Friendly Fort Worth on Wednesday announced its nine-member founding board of directors, an important next step in an initiative launched in January that officials expect could bring up to $250 million in lending over five years to traditionally underserved and under-resourced communities.
June 21, 2022
‘Full-Strength Fort Worth’ Aims to Create Equitable Economic Vitality in Underserved Communities
David Seeley
The city of Fort Worth wants to “compete at full-strength on an international stage for businesses, resources, and top talent.” To do that, it needs to leverage the strength of all communities in the Panther City—including ones that have traditionally been underserved and disinvested.
April 28, 2022
TruFund Joins CDFI Friendly
Forth Worth Initiative
TruFund Financial
TruFund Financial Services, Inc. (TruFund) a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), along with the City of Fort Worth, today announces partnership with new CDFI Friendly Fort Worth Initiative.
April 20, 2022
Fort Worth Gets a $3 Million Plan to Support Small Businesses
Erica Sweeney
“People are feeling like it’s OK to dream again,” Christina Brooks, chief equity officer for the city of Fort Worth, Texas, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in January. “They’re beginning to see that there is a new avenue that they could take that they didn’t even realize was available to them.”
February 22, 2022
Two Midwestern cities model way forward for Fort Worth minority business development
Rachel Behrndt
Self-care isn’t a buzzword for Tamara Johnson; it’s a way for underserved communities to escape cycles of trauma. That’s why she placed her yoga and meditation studio in the heart of a neighborhood with one-third of its residents living in poverty.
February 1, 2022
Fort Worth creates team to focus on entrepreneurs, small businesses
Bob Francis
Fort Worth leaders are looking to a new committee to strengthen support for local entrepreneurs and innovators as part of the city’s shifting economic development efforts.
January 26, 2022
New Fort Worth Initiative Aims to Connect More Small Business Owners, Nonprofits to Loans
Lili Zheng
A new initiative launched in Fort Worth on Wednesday aims to help more small business owners by giving more people access to capital for businesses or affordable housing development projects.
January 26, 2022
People of color are often blocked from getting loans. A new Fort Worth program tries to change that
Miranda Suarez
The City of Fort Worth wants to open up a bigger pool of money for the city’s entrepreneurs of color, who often lack access to loans that could help their businesses thrive.
January 26, 2022
Millions in investment in minority-owned businesses on track for Fort Worth
Kevin Reece
"This is like a kid on Christmas morning," said Christina Brooks, chief equity officer and diversity and inclusion department director with the City of Fort Worth.
January 26, 2022
Fort Worth Backs Effort To Invest In Underserved People And Communities
Jason Allen
Fort Worth is backing an effort to push millions of dollars in business funding into communities where people might struggle to get financing from traditional sources.
January 26, 2022
Fort Worth invests millions of dollars in minority-owned businesses
Carol Bull
Minority entrepreneurs and minority-owned companies often complain of uneven competition when seeking funding for projects, developments, and investments. The initiative, announced at Fort Worth on Wednesday, aims to make a big difference.
January 26, 2022
Event marks beginning of affordable lending for city’s low-income business owners
Mariana Rivas
The city launched an initiative Wednesday that will bring up to $250 million in lending to communities that haven’t had access to capital for businesses or affordable housing development projects.
January 17, 2022
City of Fort Worth to announce new $200+ million source of financing for Black, Latino and other underserved communities
Press Release
On Jan. 26, Mayor Mattie Parker and other City officials will kick off an initiative to increase financing for Fort Worth’s minority-owned businesses, affordable homeownership, rental housing and commercial real estate.
