Prestamos, "Investing in People, Strengthening Communities: Celebrating 25 Years of Prestamos CDFI" (November 20, 2025)

Summary

A news post dated November 20, 2025, by Zarina Guerrero for Prestamos CDFI, celebrating 25 years of the organization. It states that Prestamos became a certified CDFI in 2000 and that Chicanos Por La Causa expanded outside of Arizona for the first time in 2010, launching operations in Nevada. On the Paycheck Protection Program, the post states that in 2021 CPLC Prestamos CDFI was recognized as the #1 Small Business Administration PPP lender by number of loans and #3 by total dollar volume, processing $7.6 billion in approved loans at an average loan amount of $15,526. It also states that from FY2021 to FY2024 Prestamos delivered technical support to more than 8,000 micro-entrepreneurs through the SBA-Tech program.

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Investing in People, Strengthening Communities: Celebrating 25 Years of Prestamos CDFI

November 20, 2025 / in News / by Zarina Guerrero

What began as a small team managing Chicanos Por La Causa’s Economic Development department throughout rural Arizona has grown into a powerful champion for small business and community investments across the Southwest. As we celebrate 25 years of Prestamos, and reflect on our milestones as a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), we honor the programs, people and partnerships that have shaped our impact.

Expansion into New Markets

After becoming a certified CDFI in 2000, Prestamos strengthened its commitment to delivering meaningful economic opportunities to small businesses and underserved communities. This certification enabled Prestamos to operate as a private-sector financial intermediary with a mission centered on community development. From that point forward, our team worked closely with small businesses in both in rural and urban areas, while also focusing on supporting entrepreneurs in lower-income economic areas and communities often overlooked by traditional financial institutions. These efforts brought long-term economic benefits to families, communities and our entire state.

Still, we knew our mission could reach further.

In 2010, CPLC expanded outside of Arizona for the first time by launching operations in Nevada – with Prestamosleading the way. This expansion allowed us to serve entrepreneurs statewide with access to capital and small business technical advising – increasing both our footprint and our impact. Through programs such as the Clark County Technical & Economic Assistance, the Credit Builder Program and the Minority Business Development Agency, we grew our presence in both the Las Vegas area and in Northern Nevada, helping business owners gain the support needed to thrive.

Over the following years, CPLC and Prestamos continued its regional expansion – growing into Texas, New Mexico and California. Through New Market Tax Credit Investments, financial assistance programs and technical support initiatives, we have deepened our impact across the region, ensuring more entrepreneurs have the opportunity tobuild and sustain their businesses.

Technical Assistance Program

One of the key distinctions of Prestamos is our robust and comprehensive technical assistance (TA) programs. Our support for small business owners does not end with helping entrepreneurs access to capital. We provide a fullnetwork of resources designed to guide, educate and empower business owners at every stage of their journey.

Our team of Business Advisors provide individualized mentoring, coaching and guidance on business planning, financial projections, marketing strategies, and more. This integrated approach ensures that business owners are successful from concept to launch – preparing them for capital investments when they’re ready to grow.

A major milestone came in 2019, when Prestamos CDFI received its first major Technical Assistance (TA) grant through the Office of Community Service – Social Enterprise (OSC-SE). This grant helped Prestamos expand its capacity to support mission-driven social enterprises focused on creating positive community impact through their products, services and employment practices. It also enabled Prestamos to establish its first full-time TA role, marking an important step in building a dedicated support infrastructure.

In 2021, our technical assistance efforts grew again with a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration through the SBA-Tech program. From FY2021 to FY2024, Prestamos delivered technical support to more than 8,000 micro-entrepreneurs, providing hundreds of trainings focused on financial literacy, marketing, and business strategy. With a dedicated team of bilingual professionals, Prestamos ensures that every entrepreneur has access to the tools, mentorship and confidence needed to succeed.

Through the SBA-Tech Program and our broader TA initiatives, Prestamos continues to remove barriers to opportunity and foster lasting economic empowerment across the communities we serve.

PPP Impact

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, small businesses across our communities faced unprecedented hardship. The economic shutdowns left business owners stuggling to cover expenses, retain employees and keep their doors open, forcing some to face bankruptcy or closure. Guided by our mission and deep commitment to community, Prestamos mobilized quickly to meet this urgent need.

As the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) rolled out, our team worked around the clock to support business owners in need. The impact was historic.

In 2021, CPLC Prestamos CDFI was recognized as the #1 U.S. Small Business Administration PPP lender in the nation by number of loans, and #3 lender by total dollar volume. Our team processed $7.6 billion in approved loans through the program, with an average loan amount of $15,526 — and 78% of those loans served minority-owned businesses.

In May 2024, Prestamos CDFI was honored once again – recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as the Microlender of the Year for the 2023 fiscal year by the Arizona District Office. This award underscored our continuedcommitment to supporting small businesses in our community — especially those that face barriers to traditional financing, including those with limited collateral or credit challenges.

Continuing The Journey

Over the past 25 years, Prestamos has grown from a small Arizona-based team focused on expanding access to capital to overlooked communities, into a dynamic, multi-state organization offering capital, technical assistance, investments and long-term support to entrepreneurs across six states.

We have witnessed firsthand how investing in small businesses creates jobs, strengthens communities and buildspathways to generational wealth.

As we look forward to the next 25 years and beyond, we remain committed to our mission and to strengthening our role as a leader in economic development. Prestamos will continue expanding opportunity, empowering entrepreneurs and building a more equitable economic future for all.

https://prestamoscdfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Prestamos-CDFI-logo-web.png 0 0 Zarina Guerrero https://prestamoscdfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Prestamos-CDFI-logo-web.png Zarina Guerrero 2025-11-20 14:45:58 2025-11-20 14:45:58 Investing in People, Strengthening Communities: Celebrating 25 Years of Prestamos CDFI

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