Entrepreneurs, especially people of color, women, and business owners in historically underinvested areas, continue to face real barriers in accessing capital. Underwriting Reimagined was created to meet that call. It is rooted in the belief that the system is most often the barrier—not the entrepreneurs navigating it. Just like the saying, “the fish aren’t sick, it’s the water that needs cleaning,” small businesses aren’t failing because they’re flawed — they’re navigating a financial ecosystem built on outdated, inequitable standards.

Why Now?

For too long, bank underwriting models have reflected historical and contemporary discrimination, creating wealth disparities that disadvantage people of color. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on minority-owned businesses, these inequitable systems made it harder for entrepreneurs of color to access credit for homes, businesses, and other essential assets. Today, these outdated models continue to widen the gap in wealth and ownership. If we want a stronger, fairer economy, we cannot adhere to the status quo. We must uncover biases, challenge assumptions, and adopt innovative approaches that both rectify inequities and prudently assess true risk.

Our Goals

We are working with community leaders, underwriters, regulators, innovators, and entrepreneurs to build a better system. Together, our goals are to:

Shift the narrative — Build broad awareness of the systemic reasons for inequality through data and lived experience.

Equip lenders and regulators — Introduce a city-wide SMB Equity Underwriting Toolkit to guide equitable policies and strategies.

Expand access to capital — Increase credit access for Black, Latino, and low-income entrepreneurs through program expansion, new program design, and changes to laws, policies, and guidelines.

The Vision

A financial system where entrepreneurs aren’t punished by inequitable standards — but supported with the tools, policies, and resources they need to thrive.