#United States #San Jose #Small Business #Accion Opportunity Fund #Ripple

Ripple and Accion Opportunity Fund Shine with Bronze Anthem Award

In a remarkable recognition of their efforts to uplift small businesses across the United States, Ripple and the Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF) have been awarded a Bronze Anthem Award for their campaign titled "Unlocking Opportunity Together." This accolade, bestowed by the 6th Annual Anthem Awards, is a testament to the campaign's impact within the Campaign (Non-Profit) category focusing on Humanitarian Action Services.

The "Unlocking Opportunity Together" initiative captures the narratives of small business owners, illustrating how affordable lending and Ripple’s Digital Leap Forward Accelerator program have transformed their enterprises. This comprehensive campaign includes a dedicated website, engaging videos, social media promotions, email outreach, press coverage, and live events, all highlighting the significance of access to capital for small businesses.

The initiative emerged from a partnership between Ripple and AOF, which began when Ripple made a groundbreaking donation of $15 million in its RLUSD stablecoin to AOF. This significant contribution has facilitated the issuance of 1,568 loans, amounting to over $104 million in funding, which has created approximately 3,943 jobs and generated an economic output of $208.4 million. Furthermore, the campaign has engaged over 67,000 learners through its various educational and supportive resources.

Shandra Turner, the founder of The Bougie Grazer, an Atlanta-based business featured in the campaign, expressed her gratitude, stating, "Before the program, I was just guessing at things. Now I can look at analytics and I know where to find them, and how to pivot. The accelerator really helped me with that."

Other entrepreneurial voices that lent their stories to the campaign include those from Sandwich Girl Cafe, TheraMotive, Bencasso, Apollo Office Systems, and Southside Mobile Veterinary Services. These stories powerfully convey the message of how access to financial support can significantly enhance entrepreneurial journeys, enabling owners to realize their dreams and sustain their businesses.

Elizabeth Ross-Ronchi, Chief Marketing, Product Strategy, and Communications Officer at Accion Opportunity Fund, remarked, "The most powerful way to show what access to capital makes possible is to let small business owners tell it themselves. We are grateful to Ripple and everyone on the team who worked so hard to bring their voices forward."

The Anthem Awards received an impressive number of entries this year, with over 2,500 submissions from 43 countries, making it the largest competition to date. Esteemed judges from organizations such as IBM, Yale School of Public Health, and the United Nations Development Programme evaluated the various projects. Competing alongside organizations like Doctors Without Borders and Habitat for Humanity International in the Humanitarian Action Services category underscores the significance of Ripple and AOF's victory in this sphere.

Patricia McLoughlin, General Manager of the Anthem Awards, emphasized the resilience of the social impact sector, stating, "The work of social impact doesn't pause when conditions get harder, and this year's Anthem Winners proved it. Facing new challenges, they kept building, kept organizing, and kept delivering for the people and causes they serve. They set a new standard for good, one defined as much by persistence as by results."

As both organizations continue to fortify their efforts in enhancing the economic opportunities available to underserved small businesses, this recognition acts as motivation to further amplify their commitment to social impact.

For more information about the campaign and the partnership between AOF and Ripple, visit aofund.org/partnerships-ripple.

About Accion Opportunity Fund

Accion Opportunity Fund serves as a vital nonprofit lender and advocate, dedicated to supporting small businesses throughout the nation. As a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) by the U.S. Treasury Department, AOF offers not just loans but also free business advising and a wealth of educational resources to cultivate long-term success for entrepreneurs. With a legacy of over 30 years, AOF aspires to create pathways to both financial and knowledge capital for underserved business owners.

About Ripple

Founded in 2012, Ripple stands out as a leading provider of blockchain-based solutions for both traditional and digital finance, offering comprehensive services for global payments and liquidity management.

The Anthem Awards

The Anthem Awards, which began in 2021 through the Webby Awards, celebrate impactful brands and individuals driving positive changes around the globe. They highlight efforts across seven core causes, including Humanitarian Action Services and Sustainability.

This celebration of social impact exemplifies the essential role that collaborations between nonprofits and innovative tech firms, such as Ripple and Accion Opportunity Fund, play in building a more equitable future for small business owners.