The Genesis Fund
The Genesis Fund is a Maine-based nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution providing flexible loans, expert project guidance, and impact investing opportunities to support affordable housing, healthcare, food security, and community facilities across Maine and Northern New England.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersBrunswick, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Genesis Fund does
The Genesis Fund (legally The Genesis Community Loan Fund) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) headquartered in Brunswick, Maine, founded in 1992 to address gaps in community development financing across Maine and Northern New England. The organization operates a single integrated platform delivering four interconnected services: flexible community lending for acquisition, predevelopment, construction, rehabilitation, working capital, leasehold improvements, and bridge financing; expert project guidance including feasibility studies, financial projections, and funding application assistance; impact investing accepting individual investments from $1,000 (up to 3.5% annual return) and institutional investments (up to 2% annual return); and tax-deductible donations. Its core mechanism is a revolving loan fund in which borrower repayments redeploy into new projects.
The organization serves a heterogeneous base of local grassroots groups, nonprofit organizations (housing, healthcare, food security, youth, immigration services), public housing authorities, mission-driven developers, mobile home park residents organized as cooperatives, and individual/institutional impact investors. Select customers include WISHROCK Housing Partners, Knox County Homeless Coalition, Old Town Housing Authority, Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Tree Street Youth, Developers Collaborative, Midcoast Habitat for Humanity, and Kennebunkport Heritage Housing Trust. To date, Genesis has originated approximately $129M in loans, supported 571 community projects with nearly 36,000 hours of guidance, leveraged $889M from other capital sources, and converted 12 mobile home communities into resident-owned cooperatives housing 921 families.
Genesis earns revenue from loan interest and fees, U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund grants (a $2.55M award in 2023 was the largest in Maine), private foundation grants (notably John T. Gorman Foundation), and impact investment capital (per one source roughly 55% institutional, 25% foundations/faith institutions, 20% individual). The fund reports a 100% investor repayment record over 30+ years and is led by an 11-person team under Executive Director Liza Fleming-Ives, who was honored with MaineHousing's Stephen B. Mooers Award in 2025.
The Genesis Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Genesis Fund
- Legal name
- The Genesis Community Loan Fund
- Website
- http://genesisfund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Genesis Fund is a Maine-based nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution providing flexible loans, expert project guidance, and impact investing opportunities to support affordable housing, healthcare, food security, and community facilities across Maine and Northern New England.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Genesis Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Finance
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance) (BPAGALAA)
Keywords
Where The Genesis Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brunswick
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Genesis Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Impact Investing Returns: Genesis earns returns on impact investments made by individuals and institutions. Investors loan money to Genesis and receive modest financial returns (up to 3.5% for individuals, up to 2% for institutions) as borrowers repay loans. The fund revolves investment into more projects over time.
- Government Grants: Genesis receives government grants including awards from the U.S. Treasury Department CDFI Fund, with awards totaling $2.55 million in 2023
- Private Foundation Grants: Funding from private foundations including the John T. Gorman Foundation and other institutional donors
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID: 01-0461436). Every $100 donated leverages $900 through matching and institutional capital attraction.
- Loan Interest and Fees: Genesis generates revenue through interest and fees on its community development loans for acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, and other project financing
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Impact Investment - Minimum $1,000, up to 3.5% annual return |
| Subscription | Annual | Institutional Impact Investment - Up to 2% annual return |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donations - Tax-deductible 501(c)(3) contributions |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Genesis Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Genesis Fund is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing flexible community lending for acquisition, predevelopment, construction, rehabilitation, working capital, leasehold improvements, and bridge financing to support affordable housing, food pantries, childcare centers, healthcare facilities, and other community projects. It complements lending with low- or no-cost expert project guidance, an impact investing program for individuals and institutions (minimum $1,000, returns up to 3.5% for individuals and 2% for institutions), and tax-deductible donations to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Product overview
The Genesis Fund is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) offering a unified portfolio of four interconnected services: Lending, Guidance, Impact Investing, and Donations. Their core lending product provides flexible financing for acquisition, predevelopment, construction, rehabilitation, working capital, leasehold improvements, and bridge financing for community projects. The Guidance service offers low- or no-cost expert project planning support. Impact Investing allows individuals and institutions to invest capital with financial returns while supporting community development. Donations leverage additional CDFI funding and institutional capital. These services work together to connect communities with capital and expertise for affordable housing and other essential community infrastructure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 412 different projects funded with $129 million in loans
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The Genesis Fund
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Genesis Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Genesis Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- Build Homes Build Community CoalitionmajorStatewide advocacy coalition including Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, Maine Real Estate & Development Association, Maine State Chamber of Commerce, and Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce working to advance pro-housing policy.
- ProsperityMEmajorOrganization supporting new Mainers through financial stability initiatives. Genesis is a sponsor of ProsperityME's annual Block Party and partners on housing development initiatives for immigrant communities.
- Cooperative Development InstitutecoreLong-term partnership supporting mobile home park resident ownership conversions. Genesis and CDI work together to help residents organize cooperatives and purchase their communities. This partnership has resulted in 12 resident-owned communities housing 921 families. CDI is a ROC USA Certified Technical Assistance Provider.
- MaineHousingcoreState housing finance agency partnership for affordable housing development. MaineHousing provides financing through the Mobile Home Park Preservation Fund and supports projects through state affordable housing programs. Genesis works with MaineHousing to guide small-scale developers and community groups to access funding.
- Bangor HousingmajorQuasi-governmental agency working with Cedar Falls to develop empty lots and provide homeownership pathways for FSS Program graduates.
- Maine Community FoundationmajorProduced video about importance of resident ownership in mobile home communities. Collaborative partner in community development initiatives.
- Maine InitiativesminorShima Kabirigi serves as Senior Director of Immigrant-Led Organizations Fund at Maine Initiatives; represents Genesis on board.
- Aroostook PartnershipmajorRegional economic development organization collaborating on Aroostook County Housing Summit and housing initiatives in northern Maine.
- MaineStreet Business BuildingminorEntrepreneurship center in Machias, Washington County, where Genesis played a pivotal role in supporting small business and entrepreneurship.
- Governor Janet Mills and Maine LegislaturecoreCreated Opportunity to Purchase law and Mobile Home Park Preservation Fund enabling resident ownership conversions.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Genesis Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI): CEI is a Maine-based CDFI providing loans, investments, and technical assistance to businesses and communities. It is the most directly comparable peer to Genesis, operating in the same geography with overlapping product lines including flexible community lending and project guidance.
- Cooperative Fund of the Northeast: A regional CDFI providing financing to cooperatives and community-owned enterprises across the Northeast. Direct peer; already a Genesis financing partner on ROC conversions, demonstrating overlapping borrower profiles and mission.
- Capital Impact Partners: A national CDFI providing capital and capability-building for underserved communities. Direct peer with overlapping mission; a Genesis board member is Capital Impact's Director of National Diverse Developers, signaling active peer relationship.
- Reinvestment Fund: A national CDFI that finances housing, education, healthcare, and healthy food initiatives. Direct peer; one of the largest CDFIs in the country with a comparable blend of lending, impact investing, and project guidance services.
- Community Concepts Finance Corporation: Maine-based CDFI and community development organization, formerly led by Nate Libby (now a Genesis Senior Loan Officer). Direct peer serving overlapping Maine communities with similar lending and development services.
- LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation): One of the largest national CDFIs, financing affordable housing, small businesses, and community development. Direct peer at a larger scale, with overlapping products, geographies, and federal CDFI Fund relationships.
- Maine Community Foundation: A statewide community foundation that distributes grants and PRI capital across Maine. Direct peer in grantmaking and community development; collaborative partner that has co-produced content with Genesis on mobile home community preservation.
Regional players
- MaineHousing: Maine's state housing finance agency, providing affordable housing financing and policy support throughout Maine. Regional peer and core partner of Genesis on affordable housing preservation and Mobile Home Park Preservation Fund deals.
Emerging players
- Avesta Housing: Maine-based affordable housing developer and HUD-certified housing counseling provider. Emerging player and borrower relationship with Genesis; Nicole DiGeronimo moved from Avesta to Genesis, evidencing deep overlap in staff networks and mission.
Others
- Opportunity Finance Network (OFN): The national membership association of CDFIs. Industry association (OTHERS) rather than a direct competitor; provides training, conferences, and advocacy for Genesis and the broader CDFI industry. Genesis is an active conference participant.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Genesis Fund social profiles
Digital presenceThe Genesis Fund compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
The Genesis Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Genesis Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
The Genesis Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Genesis Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Genesis Fund
What does The Genesis Fund do?
The Genesis Fund is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing flexible community lending for acquisition, predevelopment, construction, rehabilitation, working capital, leasehold improvements, and bridge financing to support affordable housing, food pantries, childcare centers, healthcare facilities, and other community projects. It complements lending with low- or no-cost expert project guidance, an impact investing program for individuals and institutions (minimum $1,000, returns up to 3.5% for individuals and 2% for institutions), and tax-deductible donations to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Is The Genesis Fund a public or private company?
The Genesis Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Genesis Fund founded?
The Genesis Fund was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Genesis Fund based?
The Genesis Fund is headquartered in Brunswick, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Genesis Fund make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Impact Investing Returns are the primary driver. The others are government Grants, private Foundation Grants, donations and loan Interest and Fees.
Who are The Genesis Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI), Cooperative Fund of the Northeast, Capital Impact Partners, Reinvestment Fund, Community Concepts Finance Corporation, LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) and Maine Community Foundation. MaineHousing is listed as a regional player. Avesta Housing is listed as an emerging player. Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is listed as an others.
Does The Genesis Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Genesis Fund.
What industry is The Genesis Fund in?
The Genesis Fund's product category is Community Development Finance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAA, Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance). Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 6111.