Business
ICA Fund Announces $2.25 Million in New Funding From Wells Fargo To Support Growth-Ready Small Businesses in the Bay Area
OAKLAND, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 25, 2026 / Wells Fargo & Company ICA Fund today announced it has received a $2.25 million grant from Wells Fargo & Company as part of its Open for Business Growth initiative, a $20 million philanthropic program ...
About this update from Wells Fargo & Company
[{"type":"text","content":"OAKLAND, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 25, 2026 / Wells Fargo & Company","length":74,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"ICA Fund today announced it has received a $2.25 million grant from Wells Fargo & Company as part of its Open for Business Growth initiative, a $20 million philanthropic program designed to help growth-ready small businesses access the capital and resources they need to scale. This investment comes at a milestone moment as ICA Fund celebrates its 30th anniversary of supporting entrepreneurs and strengthening local economies.","length":432,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Through this new funding, ICA Fund will expand its ability to provide founder-friendly capital and hands-on support to entrepreneurs across the Bay Area who are ready to grow but face barriers to traditional financing. The initiative is focused on closing a critical gap in the small business ecosystem: companies that have outgrown micro-loans but do not yet qualify for conventional bank financing.","length":400,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":""Growth-ready small businesses are a powerful engine for job creation and local economic development, but they need access to the right kind of capital when expansion is on the horizon," said Kimelyn Harris, head of Business Growth Philanthropy at Wells Fargo. "Through Open for Business Growth, we work with organizations like ICA Fund to deliver flexible, innovative financing tailored to entrepreneurs' needs. This support helps businesses grow, create jobs, and reach their full potential."","length":518,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"The Open for Business Growth program builds on the success of Wells Fargo's broader Open for Business Fund, a $420 million effort that has supported small businesses nationwide through community-based organizations. This next phase focuses specifically on businesses on the "brink of expansion," those with proven demand and strong potential, but limited access to appropriately structured capital.","length":412,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"ICA Fund will use the grant to design and deploy tailored financial products and advisory services that align with the realities of scaling businesses. By pairing investment with deep operational support, ICA helps founders navigate challenges, strengthen...