Our Fondo Adelante Business Development Program offers a range of services to support small businesses in the Mission Corridor*, including educational workshops on Business Planning, Digital Solutions, and Business Expansion. We provide one-on-one technical assistance for reviewing business plans, preparing financial projections, and handling permits and licensing. Additionally, Fondo Adelante, as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), offer loans and grants to help these businesses access the capital they need for growth and success. Take a look at our results from Jan. 2023 to June 2024.
Our Clients
During this period, MEDA’s Business Development team supported 132 brick-and-mortar businesses along the Mission Street Corridor—helping small businesses become community institutions, anchor the local economy, and strengthen San Francisco’s economic fabric. Of the businesses we support, 57% are women-led.
Economic Impact in the Mission and Citywide
The economic impact of these small businesses has been incredible, fostering upward economic mobility not just in the Mission District, but all across San Francisco. Through hard work, perseverance, and a client-centered mindset, our small business clients generated $9,155,972 in total revenue last year. These businesses also created local job opportunities, helping 247 people obtain stable employment and achieve personal financial stability. During a time where economic revitalization is critical, our clients are proof that when local entrepreneurs are given a chance, communities thrive.
Increasing Access to Capital
Beyond business coaching and planning, access to capital is a critical piece of starting, sustaining, and expanding a business. Recognizing this, MEDA scaled its business development services and created Fondo Adelante CDFI to ensure loan capital opportunities are accessible, impactful, and build pathways to success. In the last 2 years, Fondo Adelante CDFI deployed $863,196 in loans and secured $461,750 in grants for small business owners.
Industries Fueling the Mission
As a working class neighborhood, the Mission District’s economy is fueled by industries that build a shared sense of community. Over 35% of MEDA’s small business clients ventured into the restaurant industry, bringing delicious cuisines, flavors, and history from around the world to the Mission. Following this, 24.2% of entrepreneurs entered the retail business, telling stories of culture and heritage through clothing, accessories, and technology. The last major industry is beauty, where 17.4% of clients are building social connection through self-expression. See below for other industries our clients enter.
Reaffirming Our Commitment
MEDA is beyond proud of the lasting impact our small business clients have had—but we are not surprised. Mission District entrepreneurs are innovative, audacious, and work tirelessly to serve their clients and build a vibrant community. They just needed someone to give them a chance. As we enter the second half of 2025, MEDA remains committed to providing comprehensive, tailored business development services to aspiring entrepreneurs, helping preserve and strengthen the Mission District’s community fabric.
*The Mission Corridor where Fondo Adelante CDFI operates includes Mission Street, South Van Ness, San Carlos/Bartlett, from Duboce to Cesar Chavez Street, as well as the 24th Street Latino Cultural District.
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