Michigan Women Forward

What Michigan Women Forward does

Michigan Women Forward (MWF) is a private nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, with regional offices in Grand Rapids and Flint. Founded in 1986 and reorganized as a CDFI lender in 2008 under President & CEO Carolyn Cassin, MWF's stated mission is to expand economic opportunity for women and entrepreneurs of color across Michigan by providing access to capital and complementary business resources. Its primary borrower base consists of women-owned and minority-owned small businesses that lack access to conventional bank financing.

MWF's core offering is micro and small-dollar business lending under two main programs: the MWF Statewide Microloan, providing capital of $2,500-$50,000 at 8% interest with a 3% closing fee and 3-6 year terms, and the MWF Endurance Loan Program, a Washtenaw County-only product of $2,500-$20,000 at 7% interest with a 2% fee and potential grant funding of up to $6,000 from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. The organization layers non-financial products on top of its lending, including free business classes, one-on-one coaching, the annual WomanUp & Pitch Competition (five regional competitions plus a statewide food competition awarding $10,000 first prizes), the Power of 100 Women membership program, the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame, and online directories of woman-owned and MWF client businesses.

The underlying technology is a standard loan servicing stack — an online application and qualification portal, loan payment processing, and a small-business loan calculator — with no documented proprietary AI, machine learning, or differentiated technology platform. Revenue is generated through loan interest, closing fees, foundation and corporate grants, and individual donations, supported by a network of 36+ institutional sponsors including WK Kellogg Foundation, Consumers Energy, Comerica Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Kresge, T. Rowe Price, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The organization goes to market through direct lending from its three Michigan offices supplemented by partner referral channels, community events, social media, newsletters (Scale and Elevate), and statewide recognition programming.

Name

Michigan Women Forward

Legal name

Michigan Women Forward

Website

https://miwf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Michigan Women Forward is a Detroit-based nonprofit CDFI providing microloans ($2,500-$50,000), business coaching, and pitch-competition grants to women and minority entrepreneurs across Michigan through offices in Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Flint.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Financial Services

NAICS

Sales Financing (52222)

akta.pro primary industry

Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microfinance & Community P2P Lending (FSAKAHAD), Secured Microloans (Community/Nonprofit, Collateralized) (FSAKALAJ)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Small business microloans
• Women entrepreneur support
• CDFI financial services
• Small business coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Microloan Interest Income: MWF generates revenue through interest charged on small business microloans ranging from $2,500 to $50,000, with rates of 8% for statewide loans and 7% for the Endurance Loan Program. Additional closing fees of 2-3% are charged on loans.
2. Grant and Donation Funding: As a nonprofit CDFI, MWF receives funding through grants from foundations and corporate sponsors (WK Kellogg Foundation, Consumers Energy, Comerica Bank, etc.) and individual donations to support operations and lending programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Michigan Women Forward is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that lends microloans to Michigan women and minority entrepreneurs and wraps each loan with coaching, classes, and pitch-competition support. Its statewide microloan product ranges from $2,500 to $50,000 at 8% interest with a 3% closing fee, and its Washtenaw County Endurance Loan Program offers $2,500-$20,000 at 7% interest with a 2% fee plus up to $6,000 in grant funding from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. Loan officers in Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Flint handle origination, with online applications and free technical assistance available statewide.

Product overview

Michigan Women Forward is a community development financial institution (CDFI) that provides a portfolio of financial products and business support services. The core offerings include the MWF Statewide Microloan ($2,500-$50,000 at 8% interest) and the MWF Endurance Loan Program ($2,500-$20,000 at 7% for Washtenaw County businesses with grant funding up to $6,000). Complementing the lending products are business programs including the annual WomanUp & Pitch Competition offering grant prizes, Small Business Classes & Seminars, and Small Business Coaching & Guidance. The organization also operates membership (Power of 100 Women), recognition (Michigan Women's Hall of Fame), and event programs (WomanUp & Celebrate), along with directories connecting users to woman-owned and MWF client businesses. Two newsletters—Scale (for entrepreneurs) and Elevate (for women leaders)—provide ongoing engagement and resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WomanUp & Pitch: Annual pitch competition for female entrepreneurs offering grants up to $10,000, with regional competitions across Michigan and a statewide food competition.
• MWF Statewide Microloan
• MWF Endurance Loan Program
• Power of 100 Women

Products and services

• MWF Statewide Microloan Standard small business microloan offering capital loans of $2,500-$50,000 to Michigan small businesses at an 8% interest rate, with a 3% closing fee and 3-6 year repayment terms, and no prepayment penalty.
• MWF Endurance Loan Program Loan program paired with grant funding for new and existing businesses in Washtenaw County, offering $2,500-$20,000 at a 7% fixed interest rate, a 2% closing fee, 36-48 month terms, three months of interest-only payments, and up to $6,000 in grant funding from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, with priority for ZIP codes 48197 and 48198.
• WomanUp & Pitch Competition Annual business plan and pitch competition for Michigan women entrepreneurs that awards grant prizes (up to $10,000 for first place in each of five regional categories plus a statewide food competition), providing both capital and exposure to aspiring female founders.
• Small Business Classes & Seminars Free business classes and seminars that help Michigan entrepreneurs boost business knowledge and learn how to navigate the MWF loan process, provided alongside lending to support borrower readiness.
• Small Business Coaching & Guidance Technical assistance and one-on-one guidance delivered by MWF's team throughout the entire loan process — from qualifying and application through closing, loan management, and payoff — for Michigan microloan borrowers.
• Woman-Owned Business Directory Online directory showcasing woman-owned businesses in Michigan that MWF clients can be featured in for increased visibility and consumer traffic.
• Power of 100 Women Membership-based leadership group that connects women leaders across Michigan, enabling members to share talents and support MWF's mission through annual dues.
• Scale Newsletter Twice-monthly newsletter for Michigan entrepreneurs and small business owners that delivers business classes, grant opportunities, small business resources, and scaling tips.
• Elevate Newsletter Monthly newsletter for female leaders delivering tips on leadership, management, business trends, and connections to local women leaders in Michigan.
• Michigan Women's Hall of Fame Recognition program honoring outstanding women for their leadership contributions to the Michigan community, economy, and state, with ongoing nominations and induction ceremonies.
• WomanUp & Celebrate Events In-person events held across Michigan that honor the accomplishments of women leaders making a mark and a difference in their communities while connecting entrepreneurs with resources and networks.

Quantifiable outcome

• One client (The Aroma Labs) generates over $1 million in annual revenue with locations in multiple cities
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• The Entrepreneurship Center of Washtenaw Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial sponsor of the MWF Endurance Loan Program, providing technical assistance and business development support to Washtenaw County entrepreneurs receiving loans through the program.
• Michigan CDFI CoalitionmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerMWF is a member of the Michigan CDFI Coalition, collaborating with other community development financial institutions across Michigan to advance economic opportunity.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Justine Petersen Capital Corp: St. Louis-based nonprofit CDFI providing small business loans, housing, and energy-efficiency financing to underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable CDFI structure, micro/small business lending focus, and wraparound services for low-income and minority business owners.
• DreamSpring: Albuquerque-based CDFI offering microloans and small business loans to underserved entrepreneurs, especially women, minorities, and veterans. Directly comparable CDFI mission, loan size range, and target borrower profile.
• Economic & Community Development Institute (ECDI): Ohio-based CDFI providing microloans, small business loans, and business coaching to underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable CDFI structure with parallel lending and technical assistance programs targeting women and minority business owners.
• Pacific Community Ventures: California-based CDFI providing loans, advising, and capacity-building to small businesses, with a focus on underserved communities. Comparable in offering wraparound services (capital plus coaching) to similar target segments.
• Women's Economic Ventures: Santa Barbara-based nonprofit providing microloans, business training, and consulting primarily to women entrepreneurs. Comparable mission focus on women business owners, small loan products, and integrated training/coaching services.
• Grameen America: National nonprofit microfinance organization providing small loans to women entrepreneurs in underserved U.S. communities. Highly comparable to MWF in mission, target segment (low-income women), microloan size, and CDFI-style community lending model.
• Accion Opportunity Fund: Community development financial institution offering small business loans and support to underserved entrepreneurs, with strong emphasis on women and minority business owners. Comparable product set (microloans, technical assistance, coaching) and CDFI funding model.
• Kiva: Crowdfunded P2P microfinance platform that provides 0% interest loans to underserved borrowers, including small business entrepreneurs worldwide. Directly competitive in the microloan-to-underserved segment, with broader geographic reach and a digital-first model.
• LiftFund: San Antonio-based CDFI providing microloans and small business loans to underserved entrepreneurs, primarily in Texas. Similar microloan product (small ticket sizes), CDFI status, and mission focus on women and minority entrepreneurs.

Regional players

• Michigan Small Business Development Center: Statewide Michigan resource providing free business consulting and training to entrepreneurs. Adjacent rather than directly competitive — same Michigan geography and small business audience, but SBDC is a free advisory service without lending products.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZ3lgN072qzJB5Hh_U8y3yg
• Facebookfacebook.com/MichiganWomenForward
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/601931
• Instagraminstagram.com/miwomenforward

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Michigan Women Forward