Building Intergenerational Wealth East of the River through Small Business
The new, innovative partnership between WACIF, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, and Building Bridges Across the River will strengthen local entrepreneurs East of the River
Washington, D.C. — Three leading D.C. nonprofit organizations, the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF), D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, and Building Bridges Across the River, today announced the launch of the Seed to Storefront Pilot, a 12-month, multi-sector collaboration designed to support small businesses and build intergenerational wealth in underinvested communities east of the Anacostia River. This collaboration will provide free technical assistance, pro bono legal support, financial capital and reduced rent for east of the river entrepreneurs.
The Seed to Storefront Pilot, funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation with a grant of $500,000, brings together the strengths of WACIF, the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, and Building Bridges Across the River to create a holistic support system that helps entrepreneurs grow, secure space, and build long-term stability.
“Small businesses are the foundation of strong communities, and are essential to creating lasting local wealth,” said Scott Kratz, President and CEO of Building Bridges Across the River. “As the 11th Street Bridge Park brings unprecedented opportunity East of the River, this partnership ensures that the people and businesses who have long called these neighborhoods home can share in the growth and prosperity it will generate.”
“Through this partnership, we are bringing capital, technical assistance, and trusted relationships together to ensure entrepreneurs East of the River have the tools they need not just to survive, but to grow and lead a more prosperous future for their community” said Shannan Herbert, CEO of Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF)
“Access to high-quality legal support should never be a barrier to entrepreneurship,” said Darryl Maxwell, Director, Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance Programs at DC Pro Bono Law Firm. “By partnering with WACIF, Building Bridges, and community leaders in Ward 8, we are helping small business owners protect their ideas, strengthen their operations, and build enterprises that can anchor long-term economic stability for families and neighborhoods East of the River.”
Program Components
Building Bridges Across the River: Space, Capital, & Ecosystem Building
Building Bridges will help connect entrepreneurs to brick-and-mortar opportunities through a partnership with Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) at the new Barry Farm development, which will offer 20,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space with free or reduced rent. With support from Wells Fargo, Building Bridges will provide grants for build-out and start-up costs, ongoing technical assistance, and access to working capital through WACIF’s lending programs. Building Bridges will also commission, with Partners in Equity and ResilNC, a comprehensive assessment of the Anacostia River corridor small-business ecosystem—mapping existing businesses, property ownership, key clusters, and anchor institutions along the Martin Luther King Jr. and Marion Barry Avenue corridors.
WACIF: Retail Ascent & Growth Support
WACIF will lead the Retail Ascent Technical Assistance Program, an advanced initiative for retail and retail-adjacent businesses in Wards 7 and 8. The program offers tailored advising in operations, expansion, leadership, marketing, and financial management, and integrates WACIF’s Growth Acceleration and Performance Program (GAPP) to identify and address specific growth gaps. Support includes grant writing, website development, point-of-sale systems, and security improvements.
D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center: Legal Readiness & Clinics
The Pro Bono Center will provide legal training and one-on-one assistance to help entrepreneurs navigate contracts, leases, employment law, and other civil legal matters essential to operating and scaling a business. Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinics at the Anacostia Arts Center will serve 40–50 businesses through in-person and virtual consultations, helping owners secure tenancy, review leases, and position themselves for growth opportunities connected to neighborhood development.
Together, these efforts create an integrated pipeline of training, legal support, affordable space, capital, and market opportunity, ensuring that local entrepreneurs are positioned to grow and build wealth as investment flows into their neighborhoods.
Small businesses interested in receiving reduced rent and build-out grants at the Edmonds Building at Barry Farm, AND ground floor retail space at the newly refurbished Anacostia Arts Center, can apply here. The application launches on March 30.
By aligning technical expertise, legal resources, and real estate and capital solutions, the Seed to Storefront Pilot establishes a powerful, community-centered model for inclusive economic development, one that strengthens today’s entrepreneurs while building pathways to intergenerational wealth in Wards 7 and 8.