During National Small Business Month, Target, DreamSpring put funding bullseye on underrepresented communities in Denver area

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May 29, 2025, 2:38 pm

Bodies by Perseverance owner Courtney Samuel (DreamSpring.org photo).

As May’s National Small Business Month winds down, Minneapolis-based retail giant Target is celebrating year-round “inclusive economic growth by supporting small businesses nationwide, particularly those in underserved communities.” That includes six businesses in the Denver metro area.

Since 2024, Target has pumped $250,000 into its partnership with DreamSpring, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that works to expand “access to capital and support services for entrepreneurs who have historically faced barriers to success.”

That injection of capital has funded training, mentorship, and technical assistance for small business owners across 27 states. The partnership looks to accelerate opportunity for underrepresented groups such as people of color, women, people with disabilities, startup companies, and people in low- to moderate-income households.

“One thing I appreciate about Target and its partnership with DreamSpring is that their approach aligns with our belief that every entrepreneur deserves a fair shot at success,” Sarah Johnson, Denver Group Vice President of Target, told RealVail.com in a recent phone interview. “The businesses that we’ve supported in Denver specifically, they’re kind of core to what our communities look for. They’re centered around fitness cafes that share our culture, wellness, and that is a lot of what our communities crave about where they live and why they love to live here.”

Here are the businesses Target has supported through DreamSpring in Denver:

  • Bodies by Perseverance is a local fitness studio empowering individuals to take control of their health and well-being.
  • Ametrine Collective provides inclusive wellness and healing services, creating a safe space for mental and emotional support.
  • Kochi Café blends cuisine and culture, serving as a vibrant neighborhood hub for connection and creativity.
  • Life Recovery Centers delivers crucial services for those seeking support in recovery, offering a path to stability and health.
  • F&H Transport is growing the logistics sector, strengthening local supply chains and creating jobs in the process.
  • Pint’s Peak Ice Cream delights the Denver food scene with its innovative, small-batch frozen treats.

“Target, seeing this as a space for how we show our support for our communities through some of these localized efforts, specifically within small businesses, I think is an incredible way to show long-term sustainable economic impact and how we show up to support our communities in several ways,” Johnson added.

DreamSpring takes a holistic approach beyond just lending, providing wraparound services such as coaching and technical assistance.

“Our partnership with Target has been transformational for the small business owners we serve in Denver and across Colorado,” DreamSpring Chief Engagement Officer, Amber Kani wrote in an email statement. “With access to capital and educational resources, entrepreneurs can confidently create jobs, bring needed services into our community, and plan for the road ahead.”

One of the Denver companies partnering with DreamSpring and Target acknowledged the importance of the relationship and support.

“DreamSpring has been a true partner in our growth — providing not just capital, but the kind of trust and support that small businesses like mine need to thrive,” Courtney Samuel, CEO of Denver-based fitness training company, Bodies By Perseverance, wrote in an email. “Target’s investment in DreamSpring helps ensure that small businesses in Denver and beyond have a real chance to scale, serve, and succeed.”

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David O. Williams
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David O. Williams

David O. Williams is an award-winning freelance reporter based in the Vail Valley of Colorado, writing on health care, immigration, politics, the environment, energy, public lands, outdoor recreation and sports. His work has appeared in 5280 Magazine, American Way Magazine (American Airlines), the Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), Aspen Daily News, the Aspen Times, Beaver Creek Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, the Colorado Independent, Colorado Politics formerly the Colorado Statesman), Colorado Public News, the Colorado Springs Gazette, the Colorado Independent (formerly Colorado Confidential), the Colorado Springs Independent, the Colorado Statesman (now Colorado Politics), the Daily Trail (Vail), the Denver Daily News, the Denver Post, the Durango Herald, the Eagle Valley Enterprise, the Eastside Journal (Bellevue, Washington), ESPN.com, the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent, the Greeley Tribune, the Huffington Post, the King County Journal (Seattle, Washington), KUNC.org (northern Colorado), LA Weekly, the London Daily Mirror, the Montgomery Journal (Maryland), The New York Times, the Parent’s Handbook, Peaks Magazine (now Epic Life), People Magazine, Powder Magazine, the Pueblo Chieftain, PT Magazine, Rocky Mountain Golf Magazine, the Rocky Mountain News, Atlantic Media's RouteFifty.com (formerly Government Executive State and Local), SKI Magazine, Ski Area Management, SKIING Magazine, the Summit Daily News, United Hemispheres (United Airlines), Vail/Beaver Creek Magazine, Vail en Español, Vail Valley Magazine, the Vail Daily, the Vail Trail and Westword (Denver). Williams is also the founder, publisher and editor of RealVail.com and RockyMountainPost.com.

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