Pathway Lending Uses $250,000 Grant from Truist Charitable Fund to Enhance Small Business Technology and Coaching Programs

New technology platform shows beneficial impact for small business owners

Pathway Lending loaned $900K to about two dozen small businesses to grow and sustain operations, thanks in part to Truist Charitable Fund.

The $250,000 grant provided Pathway Lending, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, with the opportunity to create a new online dashboard for its clients, establishing a platform for small business owners seeking to access less than $50,000 to connect, join an entrepreneurship community, find free business resources, reach out to lenders and more.

“Our top priority is serving as a trusted lender and advisor and helping clients to drive sustained growth in their businesses,” said Leslie Hayes, SVP of education and entrepreneurship of Pathway Lending. “With this grant, we are able to extend our reach even more and provide our clients with resources that help them grow their businesses, learn from each other and become capital ready.”

A small local cleaning company in Nashville, Tenn., is one of the businesses benefiting from the technology. This African American and women-owned business received two small-dollar loans from Pathway Lending for equipment, processed through the technology-based loan application processes and accessed resources and coaching to scale.

Truist Charitable Fund provided the grant through its Truist Community Catalyst Initiative Grant, which donated a total of $5 million to local nonprofits to better respond to critical needs within their state. This year, the grant initiative focused specifically on affordable housing, small business access to capital, workforce development and essential community services.

“Our purpose at Truist is to inspire and build better lives and communities,” said Johnny Moore, Truist regional president of Tennessee. “We’re proud to partner with Pathway Lending to help small businesses grow and become successful.”

Over the past 25 years, Pathway Lending has lent more than half a billion dollars across the Southeast to support the development, growth and preservation of underserved small businesses, affordable housing and sustainable communities, through its lending products and coaching programs. Entrepreneurs seeking funding may visit the website to get started.

 

About Pathway Lending

Pathway Lending is a Nashville-based U.S. Department of the Treasury certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that propels economic growth in under-resourced communities. Since its establishment in 1999, Pathway has generated more than $1 billion in economic impact as a leading community-focused lender in Tennessee. Over the past 25 years and through its lending and advisory programs, Pathway has financed over 1,500 small businesses, delivering more than $587 million in direct lending through its small business, affordable housing, and climate-related loan funds, plus investing $115 million in new markets tax credits.

In 2024, Pathway funded $61.3 million in loan capital and provided 15,000 hours of education and coaching to 2,800 entrepreneurs. This funding supported 162 affordable multifamily housing units, 2,700 small business jobs and $386,000 in annual energy cost savings.

Pathway is committed to creating economic opportunity and lasting impact across Tennessee, serving businesses and communities in Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville and surrounding cities. In the Nashville area, Pathway serves as the general partner on two low-income housing tax credit properties in Davidson County.  In 2024, Pathway created the Pathway Housing Fund to acquire and own naturally occurring affordable multifamily housing developments. To learn more about the entrepreneurs and communities that Pathway Lending serves, visit PathwayLending.org.

 

About Truist Charitable Fund

The Truist Charitable Fund (“TCF”) is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives. TCF was established as a donor-advised fund and is administered by The Winston-Salem Foundation. TCF invests in local community organizations, focusing on grants that support initiatives and programs in the areas of educational equity, leadership development, career pathways, small business and community services. To learn more about Truist’s purpose, visit Truist.com/who-we-are/about-truist.