PHOENIX, ARIZONA / AGILITYPR.NEWS / March 31, 2026 / Phoenix, Arizona — March 25, 2026 — Ascendus, a national Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) committed to financial ascension for all, announced that Chief Operating Officer Ana Hammock participated as a featured panelist at the 2026 National Community Investment Conference, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Hammock joined a distinguished panel — Flexible Funding Models for Small Businesses — moderated by Claire Kramer Mills, Community Development Research Manager at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The session brought together leaders from across the community development finance field to address one of the most persistent barriers to small business growth: the misalignment between traditional lending products and how entrepreneurs actually operate.

“Access to capital is necessary, but it is not sufficient. What small business owners need is financial mobility — the ability to access capital when they need it, repay it as their cash flow allows, and build toward long-term independence. That is what we are designing for at Ascendus.”

— Ana Hammock, Chief Operating Officer, Ascendus

The panel explored innovative financing models tailored to underserved segments, from micro and service-based firms to growth-stage businesses and high-potential startups in rural markets. Hammock highlighted Ascendus’s line of credit product as a key innovation — a flexible, revolving structure that better reflects the working capital rhythms of service-based microbusinesses, allowing entrepreneurs to draw, repay, and reuse capital over time.

Early results from the product show that smaller lines help stabilize businesses, while larger limits begin to unlock growth opportunities — including hiring and the capacity to take on larger contracts.

Hammock also addressed structural constraints facing CDFIs that offer revolving credit products, noting that lines of credit require institutions to hold full commitments on their balance sheets regardless of utilization. She called for stronger partnerships between alternative capital providers and mainstream financial institutions to create sustainable pathways for long-term business growth and financial integration.

Panel Participants

• Claire Kramer Mills — Community Development Research Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of New York (Moderator)
• Ana Hammock — Chief Operating Officer, Ascendus
• Kim Folsom — CEO, Chair and Founder, Founders First Capital Partners, Inc.
• Jay Bockhaus — Managing Partner, CORI Innovation Fund

About the Conference

The 2026 National Community Investment Conference, themed Innovations in Public-Private Partnership, brought together financial institutions, community organizations, and public entities to explore strategies for advancing economic opportunity through access to credit, investment, and financial services.

Key Takeaways from the Panel

• The primary challenge is not a lack of capital, but a mismatch between capital products and business needs
• Different segments require different types of capital and support structures
• Capital alone is insufficient — advisory, coaching, and ecosystem support are critical
• Stronger pathways between alternative capital providers and mainstream financial institutions are essential for long-term scale