As the Great Recession hit full force in 2009, The Loan Fund became a lifeline for many struggling businesses, and marked two decades of service. Traditional banks were freezing credit, but The Loan Fund nearly doubled its lending, making 85 loans totaling almost $6.5 million in 2009 (a record volume for the organization). This counter-cyclical lending reinforced The Loan Fund’s role as an “economic shock absorber” for New Mexico, stepping in as a “financial doctor” to keep small businesses afloat during the crisis. To better target its efforts, The Loan Fund collaborated with University of New Mexico researchers to develop a socio-economic survey tool for rural micro-entrepreneurs, funded by a CDFI innovation grant. It also launched a USDA-backed pilot project to test new ways of delivering technical assistance in remote northern communities. In October 2009, amid these initiatives, The Loan Fund hosted a 20th Anniversary celebration at the Albuquerque Museum, reflecting on its journey since 1989. At the event, the creation of the Sister Marie Luisa Fund was announced – a new fund dedicated to continuing the vision of the beloved founding board member who had championed “helping people help themselves”. More resources soon followed: the state’s SBIC approved a generous $7.5 million line of credit to expand lending capacity, bringing SBIC’s five-year contribution to $13 million. By the end of 2009, The Loan Fund had reached an impressive milestone: 1,000 cumulative loans made since inception, totaling $34 million and over 5,100 jobs created or preserved in New Mexico. In a year of economic despair for many, The Loan Fund not only endured but grew, proving the resilience of its model and celebrating the community spirit that had fueled 20 years of grassroots economic development.