Accion Opportunity Fund Honored as a Finalist in Campaign (Non-Profit), Humanitarian Action & Services for The 6th Annual Anthem Awards

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF) announced today that its "Unlocking Opportunity Together" campaign has been named a Finalist in Campaign (Non-Profit), Humanitarian Action & Services in The 6th Annual Anthem Awards.

Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Judges for the 6th Annual Anthem Awards include an esteemed panel of leaders from leading organizations and companies dedicated to social impact, including Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association, Heather Malenshek, CMO, Land O'Lakes, Inc., Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Award-Winning Actor & LGBTQ+ Advocate, Patrice Duckworth, Chief Inclusion Officer, Johnson & Johnson, Fatima Graves, President & CEO, National Women's Law Center, Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President & Global Chief Impact Officer, IBM, and many others.

"We're thrilled to see the impact sector bounce back, share their stories, and expand their impact after a challenging year last year," said Anthem Awards General Manager, Patricia McLoughlin. "This year's Finalists are truly setting the standard for how to advocate for a cause, inspire action, create impact, and overall make this world a better place."

"Unlocking Opportunity Together" is the multichannel storytelling campaign sharing the impact of Ripple and AOF's partnership, which began with the largest donation ever from a fintech to a CDFI: Ripple's $15 million contribution to AOF, made in its RLUSD stablecoin. Across a dedicated partnership website, video, social, email, earned media, and live events, small business owners described, in their own words, what affordable lending and the Ripple Digital Leap Forward Accelerator meant for their businesses. The partnership supported 1,568 loans, $104.2 million in funding, and 3,943 jobs.

"Our partnership with Ripple unlocked access to capital and education, and this campaign celebrated the incredible small business owners who anchor communities across the United States," said Meredith Medlin Dooley, VP of Partnerships and Programs at Accion Opportunity Fund. "This recognition belongs to them, and we're grateful to Ripple for helping us share their stories."

Alongside the Finalist Announcement comes the launch of Anthem Community Voice in Partnership with NationBuilder, an annual voting campaign and celebration to uplift the work of Anthem Finalists. Supporters can celebrate AOF's work online from October 13th to October 29th at celebrate.anthemawards.com. All Finalists are also in the running to win a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Anthem Award selected by Anthem judges. All Winners for the 6th Annual Anthem Awards will be announced on November 5, 2026.

About Accion Opportunity Fund:

As a leading national nonprofit small business lender and Treasury Department-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Accion Opportunity Fund provides affordable loans, free business advising, educational resources and support networks to fuel long-term success. More than a lender, the organization champions underserved small business owners who are ready to grow, thrive and build a better future. For over 30 years, Accion Opportunity Fund has expanded access to economic opportunity by creating pathways to both financial and knowledge capital.

About The Anthem Awards:

Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards recognizes impactful brands, nonprofits, and individuals that are setting the standard for good worldwide. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Belonging & Inclusion; Education, Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Sustainability, Environment & Climate; and Technology. This season's partners and sponsors include NationBuilder, Sustainable Brands, NationSwell, The Bloom, the Social Innovation Summit and The Nonprofit Alliance. The Awards were founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, GLAAD, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ.

About The Webby Awards:

Hailed as the "Internet's highest honor" by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites and Mobile Sites; Video & Film; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps, Software & Immersive; Social; Podcasts; Games; Creators and AI. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received over 13,000 entries from all 50 states and over 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include Adobe, WP Engine, Patreon, ElevenLabs, Framer, Meta, NAACP, KPMG, The Wall Street Journal, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, SXSW, The Podcast Show, and Authentic.

Find The Anthem Awards Online:

Website: anthemawards.com

Instagram: @anthemawards

LinkedIn: The Anthem Awards

TikTok: @anthemawards

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SOURCE Accion Opportunity Fund