Entrepreneurial Dreams, Realized
Capital and coaching to build your business
Whether you need capital to start, or coaching to grow, we are here to help. Fondo Adelante offers low-interest loans and free business consulting to entrepreneurs across the nine Bay Area counties—regardless of credit history or immigration status.
Fondo Adelante CDFI
Low-Interest Loans with Guidance at Every Step
Fondo Adelante CDFI provides accessible, fair, and low-interest loans to small businesses that may not qualify for traditional financing. Fondo Adelante ensures that entrepreneurs—especially those historically excluded from mainstream lending—have the capital and support they need to succeed.
Serving all nine Bay Area counties, our lending program goes beyond financing. We pair every loan with expert business coaching in English and Spanish, helping small business owners launch, sustain, and grow their ventures.
How Our Loans Work:
- Loan Amounts: $5,000 – $100,000
- Uses: Startups, inventory, equipment, lease improvements, vehicles, business acquisition, debt consolidation, and working capital
- Interest Rates: 7–9% fixed
- Terms: 4 or 6 years, no prepayment penalty
- Application Fee: None
- Credit Considerations: No minimum credit score required; ITIN holders encouraged to apply
- Credit Building: All loans reported to credit bureaus
Every borrower benefits from pre- and post-loan technical assistance from MEDA’s Business Development Program. By combining fair lending with hands-on support, Fondo Adelante empowers entrepreneurs to create jobs and build wealth in lower-income communities.
Need capital and expert support? Apply today.
Your Partner for Growth
We provide the blueprint. You build the dream.
Free, bilingual coaching to help you launch, manage, and scale.
Small businesses are the heartbeat of our community. That’s why MEDA offers robust, 360-degree support to ensure our local entrepreneurs stay rooted and resilient. Our Business Development Program offers more than just advice—it offers a partnership. From one-on-one coaching to group workshops, we provide the tools you need to create jobs, build assets, and secure your legacy in the Mission. All services are provided at no cost, in English and Spanish.
How We Help Entrepreneurs
Build a Strong Business Plan
A well-crafted business plan is the foundation of success. Our coaching provides guidance on operations, marketing, expansion, financing, and budgeting, helping entrepreneurs develop a clear, actionable plan that can be presented to lenders, landlords, or investors.
Start and Expand Your Business
From navigating permits and licenses to planning for growth, Fondo Adelante supports entrepreneurs in launching and scaling their businesses. We also provide expert guidance on commercial leases, including negotiation, renewal, and resolving disputes with landlords.
Attract and Retain Customers
Through tailored marketing support, we help businesses identify their target audience, conduct market research, and develop effective strategies to reach and retain customers.
Join our free workshops and take your business to the next level
El Mercadito microbusiness incubator
Affordable commercial space to launch your dream.
El Mercadito is more than just a marketplace—it is a thriving microbusiness incubator located in the heart of the Mission District. This dedicated commercial space is the capstone of MEDA’s Business Development Program, designed specifically for clients who have successfully completed our rigorous training and coaching curriculum. Many of these entrepreneurs have partnered with MEDA for years, utilizing our free tax preparation, housing support, and financial capability programs to establish a strong personal financial foundation before launching their ventures. Now, having turned their business plans into reality, they serve the community from their own brick-and-mortar suites at Plaza Adelante.
Plaza Adelante El Mercadito Shops
Support the next generation of Mission business owners. When you shop at El Mercadito, you aren’t just buying a product—you are investing in your neighbors.
El Paisa Travel (Suite 103D)
Owner: Adolfo Carranza
Offers: Travel arrangements
Hella Novella (Suite 103E)
Owner: Sketch Smith
Offers: Comic books
Sasa Eyebrows Treading (Suite 104)
Owner: Aenis Rijal
Offers: Eyebrows
Inca Juices (Suite 100-A)
Owner: Dora Paredes
Offers: Natural and fresh juices
SF Ceviche 19 (Suite 100-B)
Owner: Julio Vidal
Offers: Ceviches and other Peruvian dishes
El Corazón Café (Suite 100-C)
Owner: Jesús Witzil and Luis García Martínez
Offers: Baked goods and Mexican treats.
Yessenia’s Boutique (Suite 103-C)
Owner: Cilvia Oyuela and Yohana Padilla
Offers: Unisex clothing
Bay Area Revives (Suite 103-A)
Owner: César Ávila (learn more)
Offers: Thrift store, vintage clothing
Fondo Adelante Board
Luis Granados (Board President)
Chief Executive Officer, MEDA
Serving on Board since: 2014
Kevin Stein
Associate Director, California Reinvestment Coalition (CRC)
Serving on Board since: 2014
Carolina Martinez
Chief Executive Officer, California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity (CAMEO)
Serving on Board since: 2018
Ruby Harris
Co-Director of Lending, Community Vision
Serving on Board since: 2019
Lucy Arellano Baglieri
Founder & CEO, Luz Impact Strategies
Serving on Board since: 2023
Juan Carlos Hernández
President and CEO, California Southern Small Business Development Corporation
Serving on Board since: 2023
Lina Mills
Small Business Owner, Creative Ideas Catering SF LLC
Serving on Board since: 2023
Mission Community Loan Fund dba Fondo Adelante serves everyone based on the San Francisco Bay Area.
Questions, concerns, comments or requests for accommodation, whether from employees or clients, should be directed to loans@medasf.org.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write to: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Director, Office of Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20220; call (202) 622-1160; or send an e-mail to: crcomplaints@treasury.gov.
“Fondo Adelante prepared me to be a business owner, to go step by step, to structure it from the bottom up.” —Nayeli Bustamante, owner of Flor de Oaxaca
