The latest session explores how cities partner with community-based lenders to expand small-business access to capital.
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, April 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Advancing its commitment to expanding equitable access to capital, Living Cities will convene leaders across its city, philanthropy, and impact investing networks for the third session of its six-part Rewiring Capital for Strong Local Economies webinar series on Wednesday, April 22.
City as Capital Connectors:
Partnering with Community Lenders to Build an Inclusive Economy
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 | 1:00–2:00 PM EST
The session will examine how cities are strengthening partnerships with community-based lenders, including Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), credit unions, and other mission-driven capital providers, to expand access to capital for small businesses.
Small businesses remain a key driver of local economies, yet many, particularly businesses in historically underserved communities, lack access to flexible and responsive capital. The webinar will highlight how cities are becoming more capital fluent, using their convening power to build trust with lenders, and funding innovative approaches to mitigate perceived risk in small business lending.
“Cities have a unique role to play in shaping how capital reaches small businesses,” said Santiago Carrillo, Director of Local Impact and Innovation at Living Cities. “By working with mission-aligned lenders, they can deliver more affordable solutions and expert assistance. This series focuses on aligning public, private, and philanthropic partners to ensure capital flows in ways that support small business growth and strengthen local economies.”
Speakers representing Living Cities’ city network include:
Filomania Falcucci – Senior Advisor, Economic and Strategic Planning, City of Boston
Amine Benali – Managing Director of Strategy & Development at the Local Enterprise Assistance Fund
Liam Kelly Fleming – Senior Director of Small Business Resources, City of Philadelphia
The webinar builds on earlier sessions focused on strengthening small business ecosystems and aligning capital partners to expand access to funding.
Session 1 – Beyond Silos: How Cities Build the Relationships Small Businesses Actually Need – Watch the Replay Here
Session 2 – The City as Capital Convener: How Local Government Leaders Can Unlock Funding for Small Businesses – Watch the Replay Here
Upcoming sessions in the Rewiring Capital for Strong Local Economies series will cover developing pipelines of investment-ready businesses, developing innovative capital stacks, and expanding access to credit-building tools for unbanked communities. Register for Session 3 to receive invitations to the full series.
About Living Cities
Living Cities is a member collaborative of leading philanthropic foundations and financial institutions committed to closing income and wealth gaps in the United States and building an economy that works for everyone. Living Cities promotes equitable and inclusive wealth-building by addressing barriers to capital investment, shared knowledge, and collective action among its members, partners, and network of city leaders. Learn more at https://livingcities.org/ and listen to Live with Living Cities https://livingcities.org/podcast/.
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