Washington, DC, December 19, 2024 - Akela and RiverNorth, both woman-owned and woman-led professional services firms, are proud to announce their official Mentor-Protégé partnership under the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP). Akela specializes in supporting complex federal agencies in the areas of program integrity, financial and grants management, accounting, as well as risk, controls, and compliance. RiverNorth is a leader in financial assistance programs, bringing extensive federal policy, compliance, internal controls, and IT modernization experience for loan and grant programs.
This strategic alliance is designed to enhance Akela’s development as a small business by fostering collaboration and leveraging RiverNorth’s mentorship, resources, and industry leadership. Over the next six years, the partnership will focus on strengthening Akela’s capabilities, expanding contracting opportunities, and building a foundation for long-term financial and operational success. Together, their complementary capabilities will enable successful program implementation, financial controls, and fraud detection for our government’s most critical grant and loan programs, as well as the IT infrastructure that enables the programs.
"Akela embodies all the specialized expertise, integrity, and drive to deliver the highest quality services for the American taxpayer that you look for in a partner. They are one of those rare companies that embody the exact recipe for success. RiverNorth and I personally feel so lucky to have the opportunity to mentor Akela in their journey and watch them reach the heights they are destined for,” said Briana Coleman, CEO and Founder at RiverNorth.
Akela’s CEO, Crystal Wolf, shared her enthusiasm for the partnership: “Partnering with RiverNorth through SBA’s program is an incredible opportunity for Akela. Their mentorship and guidance will strengthen our ability to deliver meaningful outcomes for our clients and position us for long-term growth. RiverNorth has already provided great support as we launched Akela and we are excited for what’s ahead.”
The SBA’s Mentor-Protégé Program aims to ensure contracting opportunities and financial stability for small businesses by encouraging established companies to provide mentorship and resources. By combining Akela’s specialized expertise in consulting services for government programs with RiverNorth’s robust capabilities, the partnership seeks to create value for clients, strengthen service delivery, and contribute to the broader success of both firms.
Together, Akela and RiverNorth are committed to excellence, collaboration, and creating opportunities that make a difference for their clients and communities.
For more information about SBA’s Mentor-Protégé Program can be found here.
Media Contacts:
Sara Mahaffey
Chief Operating Officer
Akela
smahaffey@akela-llc.com
Luke Voivoda
Business Development
RiverNorth
571-455-9111
lvoivoda@therivernorth.com
About Akela
Akela is a women-owned professional services firm dedicated to advising federal financial agencies in the areas of program integrity, financial and grants management, accounting, as well as risk, controls, and compliance. With a mission to bring integrity and excellence to government programs, Akela leadership has provided support to the government’s largest loan and grant programs to support families, students, and small businesses across the country, including during the country's most trying times over the last 15 years to help our country rise from crises and disasters.
About RiverNorth
RiverNorth is a leader in lending and grant program design, as well as the digital modernization and enterprise strategy that supports federal financial agencies and programs. Having supported 30+ federal loan/grant/subsidy programs totaling more than $1 trillion in obligations as well as the IT strategy for some of the largest federal financial portfolios, RiverNorth brings a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions to clients spanning Treasury, HHS, USDA, FDIC, DHS, EPA, and more. Committed to mentoring and collaboration, RiverNorth empowers small businesses to achieve sustainable growth and success.
Contact
RiverNorth, Inc.
Luke Voivoda
571-455-9111
www.therivernorth.com
