Rural Community Assistance Corporation
Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 that provides technical assistance, training, lending, and advocacy to underserved rural and Indigenous communities across 13 western states via 275 staff and a CDFI-certified Loan Fund.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersWest Sacramento, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Rural Community Assistance Corporation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rural Community Assistance Corporation
- Legal name
- Rural Community Assistance Corporation
- Website
- https://rcac.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 that provides technical assistance, training, lending, and advocacy to underserved rural and Indigenous communities across 13 western states via 275 staff and a CDFI-certified Loan Fund.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rural Community Assistance Corporation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rural Community Development Services
- NAICS
- Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Educational Support Services (611710)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs) (FSABAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- SBA/USDA Government-Backed Loan Intermediation (FSAEAEAI), Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) / Municipal Aggregation Retail Supply (EUAGABAF)
Keywords
Where Rural Community Assistance Corporation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West Sacramento
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Rural Community Assistance Corporation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Loan Fund Lending: RCAC operates a CDFI-certified Loan Fund providing affordable housing loans, community facility loans, environmental infrastructure loans, and small business loans to rural and Indigenous communities. The fund was created in 1988 and has grown to over $104 million in annual loan closings.
- Donations and Grants: RCAC accepts donations and grants for operating and program support. The Loan Fund accepts capital grants (equity) and capital investments (debt) from corporations, foundations, and religious institutions, with minimum investment of $50,000.
- GSA Contract Services: RCAC holds a GSA Schedule Contract (#GS-10F-0255X) for environmental consulting and training services (SINs: 541620 Consulting Services, 611430 Training Services). Federal agencies procure RCAC services through this pre-qualified contractor arrangement.
- Training Services: RCAC provides professional training for Tribal, small municipal, and nonprofit water/wastewater systems, housing counselors, and community development practitioners. Funded under Drinking Water State Revolving Fund contracts and grants from EPA, HHS, USDA, IHS, HUD, and other sources.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | GSA Contract - Environmental Consulting Services |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Loan Fund Capital Investment |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free California Drinking Water Workshops |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Rural Community Assistance Corporation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RCAC provides technical assistance, training, financial resources, and advocacy to underserved rural and Indigenous communities across 13 western states. Its core offerings include a CDFI-certified Loan Fund offering affordable housing, environmental, community facility, and small business loans; environmental services for water, wastewater, and solid waste systems; affordable housing development and HUD-approved housing counseling; and community economic development programs. The organization operates Environmental Finance Centers for EPA Regions 9 and 10 and is an IACET-accredited training provider.
Product overview
RCAC operates as a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services rather than a single unified product. The core offerings include: (1) Lending Programs - a CDFI-certified Loan Fund providing affordable housing loans, environmental loans, community facility loans, small business loans, and household water/septic loans; (2) Environmental Services - technical assistance and training on water, wastewater and solid waste systems; (3) Housing Programs - homeownership support, mutual self-help housing development, and HUD-approved housing counseling; (4) Indigenous Communities Programs - services prioritized for tribes including tribal circuit riders, THE Academy, and Rooted Relative Fund; (5) Community Economic Development - small business coaching, leadership development, and economic development support; (6) Trainings & Events - professional training for water/wastewater systems, housing agencies, and community development practitioners. RCAC also operates Environmental Finance Centers for EPA Regions 9 and 10. These programs work together to serve rural and Indigenous communities through technical assistance, financial resources, training, and advocacy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- RCAC Lending Programs
- Environmental Services
- Housing Programs
- Indigenous Communities Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- Environmental: 1,068 projects completed in FY 2025, including 321 Indigenous-focused
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Rural Community Assistance Corporation
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Rural Community Assistance Corporation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature2 records
Rural Community Assistance Corporation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.
- Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)coreRCAC is one of six regional agencies that together serve the entire country as part of the RCAP network. All organizations work directly with rural communities. RCAP maintains office in Washington, D.C. for national policy access. RCAC is the Western RCAP serving 11 states.
- Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN)coreRCAC is a member of EFCN and was selected as the Environmental Finance Center for EPA Region 10. RCAC is the only non-university to be selected as an EFC. EFCN creates innovative solutions to environmental protection financing.
- Partners for Rural TransformationcorePRT is led by steering committee of six CDFIs including RCAC serving three-quarters of persistent poverty counties. Geographic focus includes Mississippi Delta, Appalachia, Native American communities, Deep South, Rio Grande Valley, and Rural West.
- U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)coreRCAC holds GSA Schedule Contract #GS-10F-0255X for environmental consulting and training services. GSA Multiple Award Schedules provide federal agencies fast, cost-effective access to pre-qualified contractors.
- California Coalition for Rural Housing (CCRH)moderateRCAC partners with CCRH on the Rural West Internship Program for Diversity in Nonprofit Housing and Community Development, training students in environmental, housing, and community development fields.
- Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Rural LISC)moderateRCAC coordinates with Rural LISC on affordable housing initiatives and coalition advocacy for rural community development programs.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Rural Community Assistance Corporation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Capital Impact Partners: Capital Impact Partners is a national CDFI providing loans, equity investments, and capacity building to underserved communities, with programs in affordable housing, healthy food access, and economic development. Comparable to RCAC's CDFI lending and community development mission and federal funding mix, though operating at a larger national scale with a more diverse programmatic portfolio.
- Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI): CEI is a Maine-based CDFI providing loans, investments, and technical assistance to rural and underserved businesses and communities in New England. Comparable to RCAC as a CDFI-certified community development lender with a rural focus and similar loan products (small business, housing, community facilities), though CEI's geography and broader business-development emphasis differ.
- Housing Assistance Council (HAC): HAC is a national nonprofit supporting affordable rural housing through lending, technical assistance, and advocacy, with USDA and HUD funding comparable to RCAC's Mutual Self-Help Housing, Housing Counseling, and 502 Direct Packaging programs. Both organizations serve overlapping rural and tribal populations across multiple states with similar housing-focused programmatic toolkits.
- Self-Help Ventures Fund: Self-Help Ventures Fund is the CDFI lending affiliate of Self-Help Credit Union, providing community development loans for affordable housing, small business, and community facilities. Comparable to RCAC as a CDFI lending into rural and underserved communities with overlapping mutual self-help housing focus and similar federal funding partnerships (USDA, CDFI Fund).
- National Rural Water Association (NRWA): NRWA is a national network supporting rural water and wastewater systems through training, technical assistance, and advocacy, directly paralleling RCAC's environmental services and EPA-funded operator training programs. Both organizations train water/wastewater operators, assist small systems with Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act compliance, and serve overlapping rural geographies with state-level affiliate networks.
- RCAP Solutions: RCAP Solutions is a sister regional organization within the RCAP network serving rural communities across multiple states with water/wastewater technical assistance, housing, lending, and training. Directly comparable to RCAC as a peer RCAP regional agency with parallel funding sources (EPA, USDA, HUD, CDFI), programmatic structure, and federal partnerships; the two operate as functional siblings in the national RCAP system.
- Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP): SERCAP is another RCAP regional partner serving rural communities across the Southeastern US with water/wastewater infrastructure assistance, housing programs, and community development services. Directly comparable to RCAC as a peer RCAP regional organization with similar mission, federal funding sources, and service delivery model; the two are structural siblings covering different geographies.
Broad incumbents
- Enterprise Community Partners: Enterprise Community Partners is a major national nonprofit investing in affordable housing and community development through lending, development, and policy advocacy. Overlaps with RCAC's affordable housing and community development work and shares federal funding sources (HUD, CDFI Fund), though Enterprise operates nationally at a significantly larger scale and is more urban-focused.
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): LISC is one of the largest CDFIs in the US, providing comprehensive community development lending, investment, and technical assistance across urban and rural geographies. LISC's Rural LISC program directly overlaps with RCAC's work and the two organizations have personnel crossover (RCAC's CEO Suzanne Devenport and CFO Murat Unal both previously served in LISC leadership). LISC is a broader incumbent with national reach and substantially larger scale than RCAC.
Others
- Opportunity Finance Network (OFN): OFN is the national network of CDFIs providing industry advocacy, capital aggregation, and capacity-building support to member CDFIs including RCAC. While not a direct service competitor, OFN is a key ecosystem participant and trade association connecting RCAC to federal CDFI Fund programming, peer learning opportunities, and the broader impact investing industry.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rural Community Assistance Corporation social profiles
Digital presenceRural Community Assistance Corporation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
Rural Community Assistance Corporation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rural Community Assistance Corporation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Rural Community Assistance Corporation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rural Community Assistance Corporation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rural Community Assistance Corporation
What does Rural Community Assistance Corporation do?
RCAC provides technical assistance, training, financial resources, and advocacy to underserved rural and Indigenous communities across 13 western states. Its core offerings include a CDFI-certified Loan Fund offering affordable housing, environmental, community facility, and small business loans; environmental services for water, wastewater, and solid waste systems; affordable housing development and HUD-approved housing counseling; and community economic development programs. The organization operates Environmental Finance Centers for EPA Regions 9 and 10 and is an IACET-accredited training provider.
Is Rural Community Assistance Corporation a public or private company?
Rural Community Assistance Corporation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Rural Community Assistance Corporation founded?
Rural Community Assistance Corporation was founded in 1978. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Rural Community Assistance Corporation based?
Rural Community Assistance Corporation is headquartered in West Sacramento, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rural Community Assistance Corporation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Loan Fund Lending is the primary driver. The others are donations and Grants, GSA Contract Services and training Services.
Who are Rural Community Assistance Corporation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Capital Impact Partners, Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI), Housing Assistance Council (HAC), Self-Help Ventures Fund, National Rural Water Association (NRWA), RCAP Solutions and Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP). Broad incumbents are Enterprise Community Partners and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is listed as an others.
Does Rural Community Assistance Corporation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rural Community Assistance Corporation.
What industry is Rural Community Assistance Corporation in?
Rural Community Assistance Corporation's product category is Rural Community Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABAEAC, Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs), with a secondary code of FSAEAEAI, SBA/USDA Government-Backed Loan Intermediation. Its NAICS code is 541620.