Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund
Securing business legacy for resilient jobs and communities
The national Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund supports businesses throughout the U.S. that want to transition to employee ownership and need capital to finance the transition and transaction.
Local businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. However, today they face twin crises: COVID-19 coupled with the existing silver tsunami of baby boomer retirements that impact nearly half of all job-creating small businesses.
Selling to employees can keep these businesses and their jobs in communities by increasing the viable pool of buyers and tapping the energy of the next generation to address today’s business challenges.
Employee ownership builds more resilient local economies with stronger small businesses, higher quality jobs and creates a path to business ownership for low-income workers and workers of color. But there is limited financing available to help small businesses make this powerful transition.
The Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund promotes resilient, quality jobs, increases worker voice, and preserves and strengthens small business assets in communities.
![Monica and Aaron Rocchino, Former owners of The Local Butcher Shop, standing outside their former storefront, having transitioned to employee ownership](https://project-equity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/home-bg.jpg)
![Monica and Aaron Rocchino, Former owners of The Local Butcher Shop, standing outside their former storefront, having transitioned to employee ownership](https://project-equity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/home-bg.jpg)
Learn how the Employee Ownership Catalyst Fund helped The Local Butcher Shop finance their transition.
The Fund
- Catalyzes employee ownership, including for smaller businesses that face significant barriers to accessing capital from most lenders
- Expands the pipeline of businesses able to consider employee ownership
- Provides working capital to these businesses to help build back from COVID and begin the employee ownership transition
Contact Mission Driven Finance, fund management partner for investment opportunities
The Fund
- Catalyzes employee ownership, including for smaller businesses that face significant barriers to accessing capital from most lenders
- Expands the pipeline of businesses able to consider employee ownership
- Provides working capital to these businesses to help build back from COVID and begin the employee ownership transition
![](https://project-equity.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Stacey-Smith-Project-Equity-1024x1024.png)
![](https://project-equity.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Stacey-Smith-Project-Equity-1024x1024.png)
Stacey Smith
Investment Manager
![](https://project-equity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Alison-Lingane-2.png)
![](https://project-equity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Alison-Lingane-2.png)
Alison Lingane
Fund Manager
![](https://project-equity.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/courtney-kemp.png)
![](https://project-equity.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/courtney-kemp.png)
Courtney Kemp
Fund Co-Manager