January 11, 2026
The initiative pairs financing with coaching and mentorship to help entrepreneurs scale operations and manage growth.
Eight Black-owned businesses in Louisville, Kentucky, have received $25,000 lines of credit as part of a local effort to expand access to capital and business support, organizers said. The initiative pairs financing with coaching and mentorship to help entrepreneurs scale operations and manage growth.
The program was launched by business coaching nonprofit Amped in partnership with Republic Bank. It offers credit lines without collateral and business support. The funding and guidance aim to address persistent barriers that many Black entrepreneurs face when seeking traditional financing.
Amped secured an arrangement with Republic Bank to provide each participating business with $25,000 in credit and ongoing coaching. The eight entrepreneurs signed off on the financing at a recent event attended by local Louisville officials and business leaders, WHAS11 reported.
A Republic Bank executive, William Summers, stressed the importance of equity in the financial sector during the ceremony.
“The corporate world was not set up for everybody either,” Summers told WHAS11. “We still have to fight and claw to make sure that, at every level, there is diverse representation.”
Krystal Ray operates an accessory business and is looking forward to expanding sales to other parts of the nation. For Ray, access to the funding is a dream come true.
“I have been dreaming of this for so long, and now I can finally put it into work and travel with my business,” Ray said to the outlet.
Organizers of the current credit-line program said the combination of capital and coaching is intended to give Black business owners both the financial resources and the strategic tools needed to compete and grow in Louisville’s economy. Several recipients say they plan to use the support to expand operations, invest in marketing, and improve financial management.
The Amped-Republic Bank initiative is one of several recent local efforts to promote economic development and business growth for underserved communities, including city-backed incubators and nonprofit accelerators that provide training, networking, and access to capital.
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