Engaging funders to accelerate financial inclusion
Avery Francis, Founder & CEO of Bloom
AFIA DEI Index
First of Its Kind nationwide initiative to help funders
Activate
Financial Inclusion and Access (AFIA)
Together, let’s realize the full potential of women entrepreneurs with the funding they need to thrive!
AFIA DEI Index
provides funders with a package of
evidence-based tools, resources
and
training
to assess and build capacity to accelerate and amplify Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) and Reconciliation in business funding.
If you fund entrepreneurs, we can support you to:
- Assess your policies, strategies, processes and practices against leading practices
- Build your team's
confidence and capacity
to better serve women entrepreneurs in all their diversity
- Strengthen your
relationships
with Black and Indigenous women and other Women of Colour
- Amplify your
reputation
with 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneur communities
Here are the three (3) components that comprise the Index:
AFIA ASSESSEMENT
Use our tool to self-assess your policies, processes and services against leading practices and metrics for accelerating inclusive and equitable access to funding for women entrepreneurs in all their diversity.
AFIA GUIDANCE
Review our recommendations based on leading practices for amplifying equitable and inclusive access to funding for women entrepreneurs in all their diversity, to complement the AFIA Assessment.
AFIA TRAINING
Build team capacity to provide inclusive customer service and equitable access to funding for women entrepreneurs in all their diversity with our interactive, self-paced online course.

Amanda Nguyen, Co-founder of BoardballSport

There are structural biases and practical components within the processes and practices of funders and financial institutions that exclude women from the resources they need to survive and thrive.
Interested in AFIA?
Do you work at a company or organization that funds entrepreneurs? We would love to hear from you.