Wells Fargo and Operation HOPE Introduce Free Financial Coaching to Small Businesses

New HOPE Inside centers expand financial education program in Wells Fargo branches

Wells Fargo in collaboration with Operation HOPE, a national nonprofit dedicated to financial empowerment for underserved communities, today introduced HOPE Inside for Small Business to provide financial coaching and support to small business customers in key markets at no cost. Starting in Baldwin Hills and Van Nuys neighborhoods of Los Angeles, Calif., and Charlotte, N.C., this expansion builds on the existing HOPE Inside program that helps empower community members to achieve their financial goals through financial education workshops and personalized coaching.

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Wells Fargo HOPE Inside for Small Business - three people walking past Wells Fargo branch (Credit: Wells Fargo)

Wells Fargo first launched HOPE Inside centers in 2022 to serve individuals with their personal finances and help build financial resilience through guidance in areas like budgeting, credit building, and money management. The new Small Business HOPE Inside centers will now offer those same specialized resources for small business owners in addition to business plan development, access to capital education and more. Through one-on-one coaching, entrepreneurs will receive personalized support to help start, grow, and sustain their businesses.

"We know that having access to trusted financial guidance is invaluable," said April Schneider, head of Small and Business Banking at Wells Fargo. "This kind of continued community investment showcases how important small businesses are to our communities and our commitment to help them thrive."

HOPE Inside centers are located inside Wells Fargo branches in select markets, and feature Operation HOPE financial coaches who foster financial inclusion and economic empowerment. The branches feature redesigned and updated spaces created to deliver one-on-one consultations, improve digital access, and offer financial health workshops.

"Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and we want to provide them with the tools and resources they need to succeed," said Michael Martino, head of Banking Inclusion Initiative at Wells Fargo. "Expanding HOPE Inside to support small businesses is a natural evolution of our work with Operation HOPE and reinforces our shared vision of building stronger, more financially resilient communities."

"Strategic partnerships are the backbone of community transformation and Wells Fargo has been with us since the beginning. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to increasing economic inclusion by expanding our HOPE Inside for Small Business footprint," said John Hope Bryant, founder, Chairman and CEO, Operation HOPE. "This collaboration empowers aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners with financial coaching and education — meeting them where they are and helping them build a future rooted in financial confidence and success."

The expansion is part of a broader national effort through Wells Fargo's Banking Inclusion Initiative to bring HOPE Inside to 50 markets across the U.S. by 2026. Currently at 30 HOPE Inside centers, serving over 100 branches, the impact of the program has helped more than eleven thousand clients since launching in 2022. All services offered through HOPE Inside are at no cost and available to community members, whether they are Wells Fargo customers or not.

Wells Fargo's Banking Inclusion Initiative was started in 2021 to help more people who are unbanked gain access to affordable, mainstream banking products, and financial education.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 34 on Fortune's 2024 rankings of America's largest corporations. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com.

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