Latina entrepreneurs in Southern California are scaling micro-businesses through a $500,000 grant awarded by the Eva Longoria Foundation to nonprofit lender Accessity. The funding expansion builds on a decade-long partnership that started in 2013 with a modest $55,000 loan fund designed to support six women.
Eva Longoria Foundation Awards $500,000 Grant to Expand Accessity Programs
The three-year grant will pump fresh capital into regional lending programs and educational resources tailored for women who face systemic barriers to traditional banking. Accessity CEO Elizabeth Schott noted in a press release that Latina entrepreneurs are launching small businesses at one of the fastest rates in the United States. The renewed funding aims to maintain that momentum across Southern California.
Official projections show the original $55,000 loan pool has already grown to $235,000. Administrators expect that figure to reach $415,000 by the conclusion of the three-year grant cycle. Since the inception of the partnership, the initiative has facilitated 65 loans totaling nearly $525,000, creating or preserving 150 local jobs.
Accessity Deploys Spanish-Language Training and Microloans Across Southern California
Accessity operates as an independent Community Development Financial Institution, issuing small-business loans ranging from $300 to $100,000. Founded in 1994 under the name Accion San Diego, the organization has distributed more than $70 million to historically underserved founders, including immigrants, people of color, and low-income earners.
Fútbol Free Day is made possible in part by grants from the Eva Longoria Foundation, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation. Additional film programming support is provided in part by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors…
Beyond capital, the grant finances targeted educational programs like the Academia de Accessity para el Exito Empresarial. Launched in the autumn of 2020, the academy runs annual autumn cohorts of roughly 25 participants, graduating nearly 70 entrepreneurs to date. The curriculum provides Spanish-language instruction on business fundamentals, marketing, and peer networking.
Cinthya Salas Scales San Diego Food Business Through Academy Training
San Diego entrepreneur Cinthya Salas leveraged the program to build Fiu-Fiu Flautas & Snacks. After completing the academy curriculum, Salas applied her newly acquired business knowledge to scale her food enterprise into her primary source of income.
“I’m grateful to the Eva Longoria Foundation and Accessity because I have made so much progress in my business since I did not know anything about starting a business,” Salas said in a statement. The enterprise now operates seven food carts and employs six part-time workers.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Accessity and Eva Longoria Foundation Partnership
What types of businesses qualify for Accessity loans?
Accessity provides small-business loans ranging from $300 to $100,000 to entrepreneurs in Southern California who face traditional financing barriers, with a strong focus on women, immigrants, and low- to moderate-income founders.
How many entrepreneurs have graduated from the Accessity Academy for Business Success?
Nearly 70 Latina entrepreneurs have graduated from the Spanish-language training program since it was launched in the autumn of 2020.
What is the total amount of loans issued through this specific partnership since 2013?
The partnership has facilitated 65 loans amounting to nearly $525,000, which has helped create or maintain 150 jobs in Southern California.
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