Ascendus

Ascendus Ascendus is a nonprofit small business lender whose vision is the creation of financial ascension fo Start your financial journey with us today!

Every day, small business owners across the country work to build something meaningful — for their families, their employees, and their communities. But too many face barriers to fair, affordable capital and the financial guidance that makes growth sustainable. We provide access to loans from $500 to $100,000, paired with financial coaching, so entrepreneurs can make informed decisions and build on solid ground. For over 30 years, we've deployed more than $435 million in financial support to 63,000+ entrepreneurs.

10/06/2026

'Is Ascendus a bank?' Here's the short answer: we're a mission-driven CDFI, a Community Development Financial Institution. 🤝

We partner with banks to bring capital to smaller businesses on their way to traditional financing. We offer lines of credit and term loans up to $100,000.

👉🏻 See what we offer at bit.ly/ascendus-faqs.

When a childcare business stays open, a whole community keeps working.​Through our Childcare Provider Initiative, we sta...
10/05/2026

When a childcare business stays open, a whole community keeps working.​

Through our Childcare Provider Initiative, we stand with the entrepreneurs who care for a community's youngest, from home daycares to growing centers.​

• Purpose: Capital for renovations, equipment, and staying compliant​
• Impact: Direct support for the providers who hold up working families​
• Reach: Serving childcare businesses across every region we serve​​

When a provider can invest in their space, parents can work and children can thrive.​

📖 Read the full 2025 Annual Report: https://bit.ly/ascendus-annual-report-2025

The Get Ready Program is the entry point to the Path to Ascension: a credit-building journey backed by a plan, not just ...
10/02/2026

The Get Ready Program is the entry point to the Path to Ascension: a credit-building journey backed by a plan, not just a score.​

• Growth: A line that grows from $500 to $5,000 with steady, on-time payments​
• Coaching: Guidance that turns everyday effort into real creditworthiness​
• Path: An entry point for entrepreneurs on their way to traditional financing​

Readiness is built over time, through daily decisions and a clear plan.​

📖 Read the full 2025 Annual Report: https://bit.ly/ascendus-annual-report-2025

Meet our Hispanic small business owners. 🌟Five entrepreneurs, five different paths, the same drive to build something of...
09/28/2026

Meet our Hispanic small business owners. 🌟

Five entrepreneurs, five different paths, the same drive to build something of their own: a salon reborn as an independent studio, a bakery renovated for the next generation, a coffee roastery brewing belonging one cup at a time.

Behind every one of them is capital paired with coaching, and a vision that was always theirs.

49% of the businesses we support identify as Hispanic or Latino. Swipe through to meet five of them, and watch their full stories. 👇

🔗 https://bit.ly/hispanic-owned

Why is loan pricing a fundamental sustainability question for CDFIs? ⚖️📈At the 2026 NALCAB National Conference in San An...
09/25/2026

Why is loan pricing a fundamental sustainability question for CDFIs? ⚖️📈

At the 2026 NALCAB National Conference in San Antonio, Ascendus COO Ana Hammock joined fellow industry leaders to discuss how mission-driven lenders can balance affordability with long-term financial health.

Here are three key insights from the panel:

1️⃣ One decision, not two: Affordability and institutional sustainability aren't separate goals to trade off. Pricing must cover the true cost of delivering a loan, including credit risk, operating costs, and expected losses.
2️⃣ The post-loan tail: The true cost of a loan extends well past closing. Delivering post-loan coaching and portfolio management over a 3-to-5-year term requires deliberate financial planning.
3️⃣ Proactive planning: In changing economic landscapes, proactive scenario planning ensures mission-driven lenders stay resilient and financially sound.

Maintaining this discipline is what allows CDFIs to keep supporting underserved entrepreneurs for the long haul. 💜

🔗 Read the full perspective piece: https://www.ascendus.org/press/why-loan-pricing-is-a-sustainability-question/

Business doesn't move in a straight line. Neither should your capital.​A line of credit gives entrepreneurs flexible wor...
09/24/2026

Business doesn't move in a straight line. Neither should your capital.​

A line of credit gives entrepreneurs flexible working capital they can draw on when they need it and repay as they go.​

• Flexibility: Ready when it's needed​
• Purpose: Cash flow, inventory, and staying ready​
• Stability: Steady footing through tight months, room to move in good ones​

Sometimes the most powerful support is capital that's simply there when the moment comes.​

📖 Read the full 2025 Annual Report: https://bit.ly/ascendus-annual-report-2025

Every business is at a different stage. So is every loan.​Our small business loans are built around where an entrepreneu...
09/22/2026

Every business is at a different stage. So is every loan.​

Our small business loans are built around where an entrepreneur is today and where they want to go next, from a first storefront to a multi-state operation.​

• Term loans: $500 to $100,000​
• Purpose: Growth, equipment, hiring, and the next step​
• Impact: Deployed across every region we serve​

Capital works best when it fits the moment.​

📖 Read the full 2025 Annual Report: https://bit.ly/ascendus-annual-report-2025

09/18/2026

"That 'I trust you' is what keeps me alive."

From the fragrance to the music to the moment she lifts the mirror, Agustina designed My Secret Studio so every client leaves feeling a little more herself. One client, one artist, full attention. ✨

Watch her Story of Ascension: https://youtu.be/YdnfTikkicA

Interest Rate vs. APR: what's the difference? 🤔💡Two numbers on every loan offer, and most people only look at one. Your ...
09/17/2026

Interest Rate vs. APR: what's the difference? 🤔💡

Two numbers on every loan offer, and most people only look at one. Your interest rate is the base cost, the percentage charged on what you borrow. Your APR adds in what the rate leaves out, origination fees, closing costs, and other charges rolled into one number. APR is the number built for comparison, when you're weighing offers, it's the one that tells you the true cost.

Knowing your numbers turns a loan offer into an informed decision.

📖 Read the full guide: https://bit.ly/apr-guide 🔗

Hispanic Heritage Month 🎉🌎September 15 isn't a random start date. It's the anniversary of independence for five Central ...
09/15/2026

Hispanic Heritage Month 🎉🌎

September 15 isn't a random start date. It's the anniversary of independence for five Central American nations, all on the same day, back in 1821: Costa Rica 🇨🇷, El Salvador 🇸🇻, Guatemala 🇬🇹, Honduras 🇭🇳, and Nicaragua 🇳🇮.

Mexico follows on the 16th 🇲🇽, Chile on the 18th 🇨🇱. The window was built around pride in a shared history, and that's exactly how we're spending it: celebrating the real businesses and real dreams behind it, all month long.

📖 Read the full piece: bit.ly/dreams-behind-hhm 🔗

Address

260 Madison Avenue
New York, NY
10016

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18662450783

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ascendus posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share