PCR’s Role in Empowering Local Entrepreneurs
Small businesses are not just a “nice to have.” They are the backbone of Los Angeles. They hire locally, keep dollars circulating in the neighborhood, and pass ownership down to the next generation.
PCR Business Finance exists to make sure those businesses, especially those owned by people who are traditionally underserved, get the capital and guidance they deserve.
In FY24, PCR facilitated over $16 million in financing, including direct loans and loan guarantees. That capital helped entrepreneurs open doors, meet payroll, purchase inventory, and acquire commercial space. Access to funding at this stage is not cosmetic. It’s survival. It’s growth. It’s the ability to keep a team employed.
PCR’s model is not “approve a loan and walk away.” The organization also operates as an SBA-designated Small Business Development Center (SBDC), providing no-cost one-on-one advising and low-cost training to startups and existing businesses. That combination, capital plus technical assistance is the difference between a short-term solve and a long-term business.
PCR’s work is made possible through a network of public and private partners. Organizations such as Kaiser Foundation, Citi Bank, Bank of America, Preferred Bank, and SoCalGas have supported PCR’s lending and technical assistance programs, helping extend resources to businesses that traditional lenders often overlook. (Partner list based on PCR’s 2024 partner reporting shared with PRIS Creative, as well as internal updates October 2024.)
This matters because community investment requires collaboration. When funders align with a community lender like PCR, the result is not just one loan, it’s an ecosystem. When a business stabilizes or grows, the neighborhood feels it. Vendors get paid. Employees keep hours. A vacant space becomes active. A block feels safer. In FY24 alone, PCR’s SBDC served more than 1,900 clients and helped create 77 new businesses.
National Small Business Month is not just a celebration. It’s a reminder that access to capital plus coaching is how we keep small businesses alive for the long term.
