Rural Community Assistance Corporation

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

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

• Rural community development
• CDFI lending services
• Environmental infrastructure assistance
• Affordable housing development
• Tribal community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

West Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core 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

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCAC 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCAC 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 TransformationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRT 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)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRCAC 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)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCAC 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)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCAC 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/rcacorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rcac

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rural Community Assistance Corporation