Truist Grants $1.5M to Urban Strategies to Back Small Business Lending
Urban Strategies, Inc. will use a $1.5M Truist grant to expand its CDFI loan fund and reach entrepreneurs in five new cities.
Urban Strategies, Inc. (USI) has received a $1.5 million grant from Truist to strengthen community wealth-building efforts and broaden access to capital for small and emerging businesses, the Memphis-based organization announced Oct. 6, 2026.
The funding will be directed toward expanding USI's Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) small business loan fund, which provides financing to entrepreneurs who often lack access to conventional bank lending. Beyond direct capital, the initiative will pair loans with technical assistance and create structured pathways to business ownership.
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The investment is set to extend USI's reach into five additional cities, widening a network that is designed to serve entrepreneurs in underserved communities. The organization's model combines capital deployment with hands-on support, reflecting a broader industry trend toward wraparound services in community development finance.
CDFIs have drawn increased attention from both private philanthropies and federal agencies as vehicles for closing persistent wealth gaps, particularly in communities of color and lower-income urban areas. Truist's grant positions USI to scale a model that links loan access directly to long-term ownership and economic mobility.
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