The Center by Lendistry

What The Center by Lendistry does

The Center by Lendistry (legally The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development, Inc.) is a Maryland-incorporated, Los Angeles-headquartered nonprofit organization that supports diverse and underserved small businesses through education, technical assistance, accelerator programs, and connections to capital. Founded in 2022 under the leadership of President & CEO Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, the organization operates as a strategic partner to Lendistry, a minority-led technology-enabled Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), enabling a direct pipeline from technical assistance to responsible financing products. Headquartered at 777 South Alameda Street in Los Angeles with an additional local office, the organization also delivers programs in the Atlanta Beltline Planning Area.

The Center's portfolio comprises five accelerators (B.U.I.L.D. Incubator for non-LIHTC affordable housing developers; Digital Growth Accelerator in English and Spanish; Contractors Accelerator for Climate Resilience; Main Street Goes Green Accelerator in English and Spanish; and Beltline Business Ventures), an Access to Capital advising service, the California REACH advisor hub, and disaster-recovery infrastructure including the FORGE LA coalition, the LA Rebuild Hub, a Disaster Recovery Home Rebuilding Education Program, and administration of the LA County Household Relief Grant and Emergency Rent Relief programs on behalf of LA County DCBA. Programs are delivered through cohort-based virtual and in-person sessions, one-on-one advising, and partnerships with municipal agencies, CDFIs, financial institutions, and community organizations. The underlying technology is a nonprofit program-delivery platform used for cohort management, virtual training, application intake, and grant administration; no proprietary technical components are disclosed.

The business model is grant-funded: the organization receives support from financial institutions (JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, Comerica, Columbia Bank, Pacific Premier Bank, FHLBank San Francisco, First Citizens Bank, Bank of Hope, BMO, and others), foundations, and government agencies (LA County DCBA, CalOSBA, Atlanta Beltline). All services are provided at no cost to small business participants. Per its 2025 Impact Report, the organization has supported 11,396 small businesses, deployed over $209M in relief across 30+ programs, helped Contractors Accelerator participants secure $23M in new contracts and nearly $2M in capital, distributed $81M+ to 1,824 landlords through the LA County Emergency Rent Relief Program, and delivered $31M+ to 3,425 households through the Household Relief Grant Program. The 2026-2028 Strategic Plan formalizes priorities across fuel business growth, generational wealth, equitable crisis recovery, and organizational excellence.

Name

The Center by Lendistry

Legal name

The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development, Inc.

Website

https://thecenterbylendistry.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Center by Lendistry is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that supports diverse, underserved small businesses in California and Atlanta through free accelerator programs, technical assistance, and capital connections, while administering major LA County disaster relief and rent assistance programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant and Program Funding: The Center by Lendistry operates as a nonprofit that receives grant funding from financial institutions (banks), foundations, and government agencies to deliver technical assistance, accelerator programs, and disaster recovery services. Revenue is not generated from small business clients; programs are free to participants, fully funded by partners.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Center by Lendistry is a nonprofit organization that provides free education, technical assistance, accelerator programs, and capital readiness support to underserved small businesses in California (and select other geographies). Its core offerings are cohort-based accelerators (Digital Growth, Contractors, Main Street Goes Green, Beltline Business Ventures), the B.U.I.L.D. Incubator for affordable housing developers, Access to Capital advising, and disaster recovery programs including the LA Rebuild Hub, Household Relief Grant, Emergency Rent Relief, and FORGE LA. Programs are delivered in English and Spanish, funded by grants from financial institutions, foundations, and government agencies.

Product overview

The Center by Lendistry is a nonprofit organization that operates as a platform of interconnected programs and services supporting diverse small businesses. The portfolio includes accelerator programs (B.U.I.L.D. Incubator, Digital Growth Accelerator, Contractors Accelerator, Main Street Goes Green Accelerator, Beltline Business Ventures), access to capital advising, REACH for small business advisors, and disaster recovery initiatives (FORGE LA, LA Rebuild Hub, Household Relief Grant Program, Emergency Rent Relief Program). These offerings work together to provide education, technical assistance, and capital access across the small business lifecycle—from startup support to climate resilience and disaster recovery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• B.U.I.L.D. Incubator (Bridging Unique Investments to Leverage Development) Equips housing developers with knowledge, tools, and access to specialized non-LIHTC financing to create affordable housing. Designed for developers with at least 2 years of experience, delivered through training, advisory networking, and connections to bond financing and alternative funding sources including CCRC banking partners.
• Digital Growth Accelerator Virtual cohort-based program providing California small businesses (in operation 3+ years, grossing $100K+, with an existing website) with wrap-around support to master digital marketing, including fundamentals of online presence, SEO strategies, online reviews, Google ads, Merchant Center setup, and e-commerce visibility.
• Digital Growth Accelerator - Español Spanish-language cohort version of the Digital Growth Accelerator helping Latinx small and diverse businesses attract new clients using online marketing strategies, delivered with curriculum support from partner LatinxDigital.
• Contractors Accelerator for Climate Resilience Streamlines access to public sector contracts for small and diverse contractors through in-person technical assistance, business advising, expert coaching, capital connections, and contract matchmaking with prime contractors and middle-market firms. Delivered in partnership with BEACON LA.
• Main Street Goes Green Accelerator Empowers California small business owners to adopt cost-saving, environmentally friendly practices including energy-efficient, water-saving, and waste-reducing solutions through personalized guidance, implementation grants of $500–$1,000, and capital connections for larger sustainability upgrades.
• Main Street Goes Green Accelerator - Español Spanish-language version of the Main Street Goes Green Accelerator supporting California small businesses in adopting sustainable and climate-resilient practices.
• Access to Capital One-on-one capital readiness advising that helps entrepreneurs and mission-driven organizations prepare for and apply for responsible financing, leveraging The Center's strategic partnership with Lendistry and its CDFI lending network.
• REACH (Resources for Entrepreneurship Advising & Coaching Hub) Provides California small business advisors and coaches with tools and funding frameworks to help entrepreneurs access capital and grow sustainably, expanding The Center's technical assistance capacity statewide.
• Beltline Business Ventures Accelerator supporting small businesses with tools and guidance to grow into brick-and-mortar spaces along the Atlanta Beltline Planning Area. Delivered in partnership with Atlanta Beltline Business Solutions Office, CVM Worldwide, and with funding from The UPS Foundation; includes workshops, mentorship, one-on-one advising, and a pitch competition.
• FORGE LA (Financing Options for Recovery, Growth, and Equity) Collaborative initiative bringing together CDFIs, researchers, and funders — including JPMorgan Chase as funder and Urban Institute as research partner — to identify financing solutions and policies that help communities rebuild more quickly and equitably after disasters.
• LA Rebuild Hub Centralized resource hub for homeowners navigating the complex process of rebuilding after the 2025 Palisades and Eaton wildfires, with bilingual, trauma-informed guidance on insurance coverage, financing options, contractor selection, and construction preparation.
• Disaster Recovery Home Rebuilding Education Program Self-paced education program modeled after HUD-approved homebuyer education standards, designed to support LA homeowners whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged in the 2025 wildfires; funded by U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo.
• Household Relief Grant Program LA County Household Relief Grant program administered in partnership with the LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), delivering direct financial support to households severely impacted by wildfires to help families stabilize and prevent displacement. Distributed $31M+ to 3,425 households.
• Emergency Rent Relief Program Program helping stabilize households facing financial hardship by providing financial assistance to eligible landlords and displaced homeowners dealing with unpaid rent and related housing expenses. Distributed $81M+ to 1,824 landlords in its initial COVID-era phase (2023–2024).

Quantifiable outcome

• 11,396 small businesses supported; $209M+ in relief deployed; 30+ programs delivered
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LendistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLendistry is a minority-led, technology-enabled Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and the parent organization of The Center by Lendistry. The Center serves as a strategic partner to Lendistry, connecting small business program participants to Lendistry's lending products and financing platform. The relationship is the cornerstone of The Center's access-to-capital mission.
• Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Center administers LA County government programs including the Household Relief Grant (delivering $31M+ to wildfire-affected households) and the Emergency Rent Relief Program (distributing $81M+ to landlords). DCBA leads the programs while The Center handles administration and deployment.
• BEACON LAcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBEACON (Build, Empower, Advocate, Community Outreach Network) provides curriculum and technical assistance for the Contractors Accelerator for Climate Resilience cohort, ensuring contractors have the support needed to complete projects successfully.
• LatinxDigitalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLatinxDigital is a digital marketing technology and services provider that delivers technical assistance and training content for The Center's Digital Growth Accelerator Spanish-language cohorts, helping Latinx small businesses expand their digital footprint.
• California Community Reinvestment Corporation (CCRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCRC is a financial partner in the B.U.I.L.D. Incubator, providing financing expertise and connections to permanent financing for developers creating affordable housing without relying on LIHTC. CCRC's network of banking partners helps create diverse capital avenues for program participants.
• The Little Big ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Little Big Project brings expertise in nonprofit consulting, CDFI development, and impact evaluation to the Main Street Goes Green Accelerator, providing strategic support to help organizations build capacity and maximize impact.
• Atlanta BeltlinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlanta Beltline Business Solutions Office partners with The Center by Lendistry to deliver the Beltline Business Ventures accelerator, supporting small businesses along the Atlanta Beltline corridor with mentorship, workshops, and pitch competition.
• CVM WorldwideminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCVM Worldwide partners with The Center by Lendistry and Atlanta Beltline Business Solutions Office to deliver the Beltline Business Ventures accelerator program.
• Urban InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Urban Institute is the research partner for FORGE LA, conducting research on disaster recovery efforts across the country (including Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Ida, Maui wildfires) to inform financing strategies for LA wildfire recovery.
• FORGE LA CDFI Partners (Century, Enterprise, Genesis LA, Inclusive Action for the City, Lendistry, LIIF, LISC LA, Pacific Community Ventures, Partners Impact for Common Good, Prosperity Now, Raza Development Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFORGE LA brings together a coalition of CDFIs to collaboratively develop financing solutions for wildfire recovery in Los Angeles County. These organizations work together under The Center's leadership to identify gaps, design tools, and create a replicable model for equitable disaster recovery.
• Office of Office and Enterprise Community PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with The Center and supported by U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo to advance the Wildfire Home Rebuilding Toolkit in Altadena, providing bilingual, trauma-informed guidance to homeowners rebuilding after the Eaton Fire.
• Lendistry (Wildfire Home Rebuilding Fund)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Center is exploring a pilot Wildfire Home Rebuilding Fund in partnership with Lendistry, pairing flexible financing with home rebuilding counseling to support households rebuilding after the 2025 LA wildfires.
• REACH Hub (Resources for Entrepreneurship Advising & Coaching Hub)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerREACH provides California small business advisors and coaches with tools and funding frameworks to help entrepreneurs access capital and grow sustainably. The Center expanded statewide technical assistance through the CA REACH Hub.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation): National CDFI-supporting nonprofit offering small business, housing, and community development programs. Highly comparable given shared LISC LA presence (VP Strategy Miranda Rodriguez previously served as Deputy Director there), overlapping CDFI ecosystem role, and similar small business technical assistance model.
• DreamSpring (formerly Opportunity Fund): Leading national CDFI providing microloans and small business advising to underserved entrepreneurs. Closely comparable nonprofit + lending model with technical assistance, accelerator-style programs, and minority-focused capital deployment.
• TruFund Financial Services: National CDFI providing capital and technical assistance to underserved small businesses. Directly comparable CDFI + TA model; board member OC Isaac serves as TruFund's Chief Lending Officer, indicating close institutional ties.
• Accion: Global nonprofit microlender and small business support organization providing capital, coaching, and networks to underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable in TA + micro-capital model and underserved-segment focus.
• Pacific Community Ventures: Mission-driven nonprofit providing one-on-one business advising and capital connections to underserved small businesses. Directly comparable given VP Community Investment Erica Vásquez's prior leadership of PCV's business advising services and The Center's matching small business advisory function.
• Kiva: Nonprofit crowdfunded microloan platform serving underserved entrepreneurs globally with 0% interest loans. Comparable mission-driven capital access model with embedded technical assistance pathways for borrowers.
• Grameen America: Nonprofit microfinance organization providing small-dollar loans, financial education, and peer-support to entrepreneurs in underserved U.S. communities. Comparable in mission, target population, and integrated capital + TA delivery model.
• Main Street Launch: Bay Area-based CDFI providing small business loans, advising, and accelerator programming to underserved entrepreneurs. Highly comparable small business + accelerator + TA stack operating under CDFI framework.

Others

• Opportunity Finance Network: National CDFI trade association providing capacity-building, advocacy, and funding infrastructure for the CDFI industry. Relevant ecosystem-level peer given The Center's positioning within the Lendistry CDFI network and FORGE LA coalition leadership.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit focused on affordable housing and community development. Directly relevant given The Center's B.U.I.L.D. Incubator (which prepares affordable housing developers for non-LIHTC financing) and joint work on the Wildfire Home Rebuilding Toolkit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TheCenterSoCal
• Facebookfacebook.com/thecenterbylendistry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thecenterbylendistry
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecenterbylendistry

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Center by Lendistry