Organization-led business readiness

Partnership infrastructure for stronger lending relationships.

Groundwork. is a partnership platform for organizations that help entrepreneurs become better prepared for productive lending relationships. Participation begins through an organization agreement and authorized invitation.

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Institutional trust

Structured access.
Trusted relationships.

Groundwork connects readiness work to the organizations already supporting entrepreneurs and community lenders.

Controlled accessParticipation begins through approved partner and invitation pathways.
Organization-led participationPartner organizations establish the program relationship and approved scope.
Consent-based relationshipsInformation visibility follows the applicable workflow and participant choices.
Structured readiness workflowsParticipants follow a guided sequence designed to organize their readiness work.
Relationship model
Organization Partner
Establishes the program relationship and approved access path.
Groundwork Platform
Provides the structured readiness environment.
Entrepreneur Participation
Builds readiness through the authorized program experience.
Lending Relationship
Supports clearer, better-prepared capital conversations.
Partnership process

Built around fit,
scope, and shared goals.

Every Groundwork partnership begins by understanding the organization, its programs, and the people it serves.

01
Conversation
We learn about your organization, programs, team, and goals.
02
Fit and scope
Together we identify the right audience, workflow, responsibilities, and support model.
03
Agreement
We establish terms, expectations, and the approved path to platform access.
04
Implementation
Groundwork prepares the organization and its staff for the agreed program experience.
05
Invitations
Authorized teams invite participants into the relationship-backed program.
Who we serve

Infrastructure for organizations
invested in readiness.

Groundwork helps mission-driven institutions create a more consistent, connected path from business preparation to productive lending conversations.

Credit Unions & Lenders
Support stronger borrower preparation before underwriting, reduce avoidable rework, and create clearer readiness expectations for applicants and referral partners.
Credit UnionsCommunity Lenders
CDFIs & Loan Funds
Standardize readiness support across mission-based lending programs while preserving the judgment, flexibility, and relationships that community finance requires.
CDFIsLoan Funds
BDOs, Incubators & Support Organizations
Give counselors and program teams a structured curriculum that helps entrepreneurs understand their businesses, strengthen their narratives, and prepare for capital conversations.
SBDCsIncubatorsNonprofits
How it works

From first idea to
capital-ready in weeks

Groundwork. gives participating entrepreneurs a guided preparation process connected to the organizations and professionals supporting their progress.

01
Assess your foundation
Start with the Business Health Check — 12 questions across Money, Marketing, and Management. Know exactly where you stand before you talk to a lender.
02
Build your case
Complete 8 guided modules, with AI coaching on your Business Model Canvas and Loan Story.
03
Get your plan
Groundwork. generates a structured business plan using everything you've entered — executive summary, financial projections, and loan request. Review it, refine it, and prepare for your next conversation.
The platform

Eight modules.
One complete application.

Each module builds on the last. Participants move through a guided sequence while their progress is saved within the authorized program experience.

Module 1
Business Health Check
Rate yourself across Money, Marketing, and Management. Get your health score and see where to focus first.
Module 2
Business Model Canvas
Define your value proposition, customers, partners, and revenue streams — with AI coaching on every block.
Module 3
Lender Lens
Select your loan type and see exactly what lenders look for — credit, DSCR, collateral, and documentation.
Module 4
Loan Readiness Score
Rate yourself across 6 lender factors and get a composite readiness score with gap analysis.
Module 5
DSCR Calculator
Enter your revenue and expenses to calculate your Debt Service Coverage Ratio — the #1 number lenders evaluate.
Module 6
Loan Story
Tell your story across 6 guided sections — who you are, what the loan is for, and how you'll repay it.
Module 7
Document Checklist
Know exactly what your lender needs. Templates for P&L, Balance Sheet, and Projections are included.
Module 8
Business Plan Generator
AI drafts an 8-section business plan from your inputs. Currently in review as we refine this feature.
Why Groundwork.

Not a template.
A transformation.

Most business planning tools give you a blank page. Groundwork. gives you a guide, a coach, and a completed file.

AI coaching where it matters most
Your Business Model Canvas and Loan Story include AI-powered feedback to help you strengthen your thinking and communicate it clearly.
Real DSCR calculation
Enter your revenue and expenses and get your actual Debt Service Coverage Ratio — an early estimate of the DSCR lenders typically look at. Know your number before they do, and explore what-if scenarios to strengthen your application.
Business plan drafting
When you finish Module 8, Groundwork. drafts an 8-section business plan using everything you've entered — every fact, every number, every narrative point from your own inputs. This feature is currently in review.
Built by a former lender
Groundwork. was created by a former Chief Lending Officer at a CDFI credit union. Every module reflects what lenders actually look for — insider knowledge, democratized.
MWBE & impact tracking roadmap
Planned organization workflows will support MWBE and impact metrics such as demographics, dollars facilitated, module progress, and client pipeline for future funder reporting.
Your data, your plan
Everything participants enter belongs to them. Groundwork. saves progress within the authorized program experience so they can continue their work with confidence.
"

"The difference between a borrower who gets funded and one who doesn't is rarely the business — it's the preparation. Groundwork. closes that gap."

Jerome Emanuel · Founder, Groundwork. · Former Chief Lending Officer, CDFI Credit Union
What people are saying
"You took something complicated and made it easy.
I don't think it gets better than that."
E
Eric Krohn
Director of Business Incubation Programming
Koffman Southern Tier Incubator
Binghamton University

Strong access starts
with a relationship.

Groundwork works with organizations to understand their programs, agree on the right approach, and invite their teams and clients into the platform.

Discuss a partnership →

Organization-led access · Guided onboarding · Invitation-based participation