Mission: Ascendus is a nonprofit small business lender working to create economic opportunity by providing entrepreneurs with access to the capital and the business support they need to create and grow healthy enterprises and contribute to thriving local economies. Since 1991, Ascendus has provided more than $200 million to over 23,000 small businesses owners across the country. Ascendus seeks to build the financial resiliency of small business owners so that they can be fully equipped to handle near-term challenges and achieve long-term self-sustainability and business success. Ascendus is a certified Community Development Financial Institution by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, a sanctioned SBA Intermediary Microlender, and a member of the Accion U.S. Network, the largest microfinance network in the United States. (Less)

Ascendus is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 1997, and donations are tax-deductible.