Strafford EDC

What Strafford EDC does

Strafford Economic Development Corporation (SEDC / Strafford EDC) is an independent, primarily self-supporting non-profit 501(c)(3) economic development corporation founded in 1997 and headquartered at 100 Main St., Suite 101, Dover, New Hampshire. The organization is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) certified by the US Treasury and is Northern New England's only US Small Business Administration Community Advantage 7A lender. Its mission is to support projects that create or secure local jobs in Strafford County and selected New Hampshire statewide programs. SEDC works with both for-profit and non-profit businesses of all sizes, including manufacturers, healthcare and assisted-living providers, vocational rehabilitation operators, retail establishments, and substance-use-disorder recovery organizations.

SEDC's core products fall into five lines: Direct Lending from its Revolving Loan Fund (for real estate including workforce housing, working capital, facility improvements, machinery and equipment, and construction); Loan Placement Services that route applications to bank and government partners through 20+ year relationships with institutions including Newburyport Savings Bank, First Seacoast Bank, Citizens Bank, Northway Bank, Georgetown Bank, and the NH Business Finance Authority; Technical Assistance Consulting Services delivered as hands-on support to business owners and non-profit directors; Workforce Housing Financing delivered in partnership with regional banks (e.g., the 44-unit Cottages at Back River Road project); and a Customer/Client Financial Services program offering contracted CFO/CEO consulting. The operating technology stack is minimal: a Portfolio.com-hosted loan-application workflow serves as the single intake point, and the corporate website is built on Squarespace. No proprietary AI, ML, or data products are disclosed.

Revenue mechanics are characteristic of a non-profit CDFI: SEDC earns interest and fees on its revolving loan portfolio, supplemented by grants (notably a $1,612,633 CDFI Fund award in April 2023), consulting fees, and program-related allocations from the NH Community Development Finance Authority and the NH Alliance of Regional Development Corporations. The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, relying on direct outreach, partner referrals, regional events such as the Seacoast Manufacturers Exchange, and a community-news blog rather than digital marketing campaigns. Over 27+ years, SEDC reports having loaned or placed more than $60 million that leveraged an additional $173 million for clients, supporting approximately 5,900 direct and 7,290 indirect jobs and 80 housing units.

Name

Strafford EDC

Legal name

Strafford Economic Development Corporation of New Hampshire

Website

https://sedcnh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Strafford EDC is a Dover, NH-based non-profit 501(c)(3) CDFI that provides direct lending, loan placement, technical assistance, and workforce-housing financing to small and mid-sized businesses and non-profits across Strafford County and selected New Hampshire statewide programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Lending

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231), Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162), Loan Brokers (6163), Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

SBA/USDA Government-Backed Loan Intermediation (FSAEAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI), Construction & Development (C&D) Lending — Commercial/Multifamily (FSALADAH)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Small business financing
• Technical assistance services
• Workforce housing finance
• Revolving loan fund

Headquarters

HQ city

Dover

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest and Fees: SEDC generates revenue through loan interest and fees on its revolving loan fund. Rates and fees are designed to sustain the organization, enabling continued operations and ability to lend to other businesses with identified needs. As a non-profit CDFI, revenue is reinvested into operations and lending activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Strafford EDC operates a Revolving Loan Fund providing direct financing for real estate (including workforce housing), working capital, facility improvements, machinery and equipment. As a CDFI-certified SBA Community Advantage 7A lender, the organization also places loans with partner banks and agencies, and delivers technical assistance consulting to borrowers.

Product overview

Strafford EDC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) economic development organization providing a unified suite of business finance and technical assistance services. The organization operates primarily as a CDFI-certified lender offering Direct Lending Services (through its Revolving Loan Fund) and Loan Placement Services to connect businesses with optimal financing structures. Technical Assistance Consulting Services provides hands-on support for financial management and business operations. Workforce Housing Financing addresses affordable housing needs for regional employers. The Customer/Client Financial Services program offers contracted CFO/CEO consulting. The portfolio.com-based loan application portal serves as the single entry point for accessing these integrated services. SEDC is Northern New England's only US SBA Community Advantage 7A lender.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Direct Lending Services
• Loan Placement Services
• Technical Assistance Consulting Services
• Workforce Housing Financing
• Customer/Client Financial Services (CFO/CEO Consulting)

Quantifiable outcome

• $60 million loaned/placed, leveraging $173 million additional capital for clients
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NH Alliance of Regional Development CorporationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025SEDC works cooperatively with other members of the NH Alliance of Regional Development Corporations. The CDBG grant is sub-granted through this organization to SEDC.
• TurbocamminorOthersManufacturing company and supporting partner. Largest employer in Barrington with 400 employees.
• Seneca MachineminorOthersManufacturing company and supporting partner.
• HPGR LawminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal services partner supporting SEDC operations.
• Recovery Friendly Workplace InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState initiative supported by Governor Sununu's Office. SEDC engages with recovery-friendly workplace programs to support SUD recovery organizations and workforce development.
• Working FieldsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStaffing agency with peer support model for job seekers in recovery. Promotes inclusive hiring practices across NH Seacoast Region. Contact: 603-314-8268

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Kiva: Crowdfunded micro-lending platform serving small businesses and entrepreneurs; an emerging alternative to traditional CDFI lending with overlapping mission but different delivery model.
• Accion: Mission-driven small business lender with similar CDFI-adjacent positioning; comparable focus on serving underbanked borrowers though operating at national scale.

Broad incumbents

• USDA Rural Development: Federal agency providing business and community program loans — a major incumbent in the same SBA/USDA-backed lending ecosystem SEDC operates in.
• New Hampshire Business Finance Authority (NHBFA): State-level economic development finance authority that SEDC works with as a volume lender; a broader public-sector incumbent offering SBA and bond financing across NH.

Direct peers

• Vermont Community Loan Fund: Vermont-based CDFI offering small business loans and technical assistance to mission-aligned borrowers — same non-profit CDFI model, comparable size, and overlapping New England geography.
• Genesis LA CDFI: California-based CDFI providing small business lending and economic development financing; directly comparable non-profit CDFI model with similar mission and product set.
• Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC): Massachusetts-based CDFI providing small business loans and federal program deployment — same CDFI SBA lending focus as SEDC, scaled to a larger but adjacent New England state.
• Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI): Maine-based CDFI providing business lending, loan packaging, and technical assistance to small businesses — directly comparable to SEDC's mission, structure, and service mix in Northern New England.
• Community Capital New York: New York-based CDFI providing small business loans and SBA 504 lending; structurally identical non-profit CDFI lender serving an adjacent Northeast geography.

Others

• Opportunity Finance Network (OFN): National CDFI industry association and capital intermediary — comparable ecosystem participant that aggregates CDFIs like SEDC for federal funding and capacity-building.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/strafford-edc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Strafford EDC