Wells Fargo Foundation Awards $550,000 Grant to Expand Wealth Building Programs for Texas Entrepreneurs

The Wells Fargo Foundation awarded a $550,000 grant to JUST Community, a statewide nonprofit that provides equitable access to capital and support to entrepreneurs. The funding will expand JUST's financial empowerment and coaching model, which builds relationships with entrepreneurs and focuses on their character rather than just their credit score. This grant will help small business owners in El Paso and across Texas start, grow, and sustain their businesses, providing the tools and support that lead to long-term financial stability and community impact.

Steve Wanta, Co-Founder and CEO of JUST, emphasized that trust is the foundation of everything they do. By building relationships with entrepreneurs and providing tools for credit, savings, and strategic investments, JUST helps them build more than income. They gain ownership of their business, their homes, and their futures. That path to ownership creates sustainable wealth, which in turn builds stronger families and communities. With the support from the Wells Foundation, JUST can expand this work and help Texas entrepreneurs turn potential into lasting impact.

The announcement coincided with JUST Community's milestone of distributing over $1 million in loans to entrepreneurs in El Paso. The celebration also featured a local market showcasing local businesses, giving attendees the opportunity to see entrepreneurs thrive with support from JUST programs. Local business leaders, community partners, City of El Paso officials, Wells Fargo Foundation representatives, and small business owners attended to recognize the milestone and grant announcement.

JUST Community has provided over $40 million in loans to thousands of entrepreneurs across Texas. Its trust-based model, combined with capital, coaching, and a supportive network, has helped business owners strategically save and grow their business for long-term financial stability. Ninety percent of participants build sustainable businesses and can cover emergency expenses within the first 18-24 months.

Alma Gonzalez, Founder of Chester Homemade Dog Treats, shared her experience of feeling invisible until JUST saw beyond the numbers and trusted in her idea. That trust gave her the courage to keep going, and today Chester is growing because someone finally believed that passion and purpose matter. In El Paso alone, over 100 entrepreneurs have leveraged JUST's trust-based lending model to launch and grow their businesses. The grant announcement also marked the kickoff of El Paso Start-Up Week, highlighting new opportunities and celebrating the growth of local businesses across the city and state. JUST Community is a social venture that invests in ambitious Texas entrepreneurs, fostering financial stability and generational wealth through a trust-based financial system. Visit https://www.hellojust.com to learn more.