What Prestamos CDFI does

Prestamos CDFI, LLC is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Community Development Entity (CDE) headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, operating as a division of Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. (CPLC), a community development corporation founded in 1969. Created in 2000 and certified as a CDFI by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Prestamos provides capital and business development services to small businesses, micro-entrepreneurs, and community facility projects in low-to-moderate income communities—often minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses—that are underserved by traditional banks. It operates field offices across six states (Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas) plus Puerto Rico with a team of 11–50 bilingual business advisors, lending officers, and program coordinators.

The organization's product suite spans direct lending—Small Business Loans, SBA Micro Loans, and SBA Community Advantage Loans ($100,000–$350,000)—paired with no-cost business coaching, technical assistance, and educational programs such as the Women's Business Center, SSBCI Technical Assistance Program, Mesa Entrepreneurship Co-Lab, and Creciendo Juntos loan-readiness series. Its distinctive dual CDFI/CDE status enables it to deploy New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC), a federal program providing investors up to 39% tax credits over seven years, to finance manufacturing, healthcare, education, and community facility projects in distressed communities. Technology infrastructure is limited to web-based intake and client management systems, including a bilingual online application portal and a client login portal (login.prestamosloans.org).

Revenue mechanics are mission-driven rather than profit-maximizing: interest income on below-market loans, program-related income and deployment fees tied to NMTC allocations, and grant funding (SBA, SSBCI, OCS-SE) supporting no-cost technical assistance. Go-to-market is relationship- and community-led, relying on field-based sales, partner referrals (Women's Business Center, SSBCI, MBDA, SBA, SCORE), and community events. In FY24/25 the organization deployed $18.7 million in capital, funded 72 businesses, and served 1,144 businesses. It has received eight NMTC awards totaling $400 million and was recognized as the #1 SBA PPP lender nationally by loan count in 2021.

Name

Prestamos CDFI

Legal name

Prestamos CDFI, LLC

Website

https://prestamoscdfi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Prestamos CDFI is a nonprofit CDFI and CDE, a division of Chicanos Por La Causa, providing below-market small business loans, SBA lending, New Markets Tax Credits, and no-cost business coaching to underserved entrepreneurs across six US states and Puerto Rico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Allocations: Prestamos receives NMTC allocation authority from the U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund. As a CDE, it deploys NMTC financing to community projects, attracting private investors who receive federal tax credits (39% over 7 years). This generates below-market-rate financing for businesses and generates program-related income through deployment fees and relationship-building with co-investors.
2. Small Business Lending: Provides small business loans, SBA Micro Loans, and SBA Community Advantage loans to underserved entrepreneurs. Generates revenue through interest income on loans. Loan products include working capital, equipment financing, real estate, and startup funding. Interest rates are below-market compared to traditional banks, reflecting mission-driven pricing.
3. Technical Assistance & Business Coaching: Provides no-cost business coaching, mentoring, and technical assistance to loan applicants and clients. Funded through SBA grants (e.g., SBA-Tech, SSBCI Technical Assistance Program), Office of Community Service Social Enterprise grants, and other public programs. Supports loan readiness and client success.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Prestamos CDFI is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Community Development Entity (CDE) that provides small business loans (including SBA Micro Loans and SBA Community Advantage Loans) and deploys New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) investments for community facility projects. It complements its lending with no-cost bilingual business coaching, mentoring, and technical assistance to underserved entrepreneurs in low-to-moderate income communities.

Product overview

Prestamos CDFI operates as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Community Development Entity (CDE) providing a comprehensive suite of financial products and business development services. The core offerings include Small Business Loans (available in various sizes for fixed assets and working capital), SBA Micro Loans for smaller funding needs with quicker qualification, and SBA Community Advantage Loans for $100,000-$350,000 business growth financing. These lending products are complemented by no-cost Business Coaching services offering 1:1 coaching, self-paced training resources, and virtual workshops. The organization also administers New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) investments, a federal program enabling 39% tax credits for investments in distressed communities. Additional support programs include the Women's Business Center, SSBCI Technical Assistance Program, Mesa Entrepreneurship Co-Lab retail accelerator, Creciendo Juntos Loan Readiness Series, Social Enterprise Entrepreneurial Program, and Application Assistance for Grants and Relief Programs. Education Events provide webinars on financial literacy, marketing, and business planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Small Business Loans Mission-driven small business loans of varying sizes used to fund fixed assets and working capital needs for SMBs in Arizona, Nevada, California, Texas and New Mexico.
• SBA Micro Loans SBA Micro Loans designed for small or new businesses needing smaller amounts of funding; easier to qualify for and with a quicker application process than traditional loans. Available in Arizona and Nevada.
• SBA Community Advantage Loans SBA Community Advantage Loans designed for new and existing small businesses needing loans between $100,000 and $350,000 to grow their business.
• New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) Federal New Markets Tax Credit program enabling private investors to receive tax credits up to 39% of their Qualified Equity Investment over seven years, deployed by Prestamos to support manufacturing, healthcare, education, and community facility projects in distressed communities.
• Business Coaching No-cost bilingual business coaching service offering 1:1 homework-based coaching, self-paced customized training resources, networking opportunities, and virtual educational workshops for loan applicants and clients.
• Women's Business Center Program helping Phoenix-area women entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses through no-cost trainings, workshops and resources.
• State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Technical Assistance Program Technical assistance program providing workshops, webinars, and one-on-one coaching to help entrepreneurs understand financing options and prepare for SSBCI-funded capital programs administered by the Arizona Commerce Authority.
• Education Events Educational events and webinars for entrepreneurs covering financial literacy, marketing, business planning, and loan application assistance.
• Mesa Entrepreneurship Co-Lab Retail readiness accelerator and business advising program designed to help retail businesses scale and test their products in market.
• Creciendo Juntos: Loan Readiness Series Monthly webinar series equipping entrepreneurs with the foundation and tools needed to navigate the business landscape and prepare for loan applications.
• Social Enterprise Entrepreneurial Program Program supporting mission-driven social enterprises focused on creating positive community impact through their products, services, and employment practices.
• Application Assistance for Grants and Relief Programs No-cost assistance helping entrepreneurs prepare applications for local, state, and federal grants and relief programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• $18.7M total capital deployed in FY24/25, supporting 72 businesses funded and 1,144 businesses served
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Women's Business Center (WBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestamos operates a Women's Business Center providing Phoenix-area entrepreneurs with no-cost trainings, workshops, and resources for launching and growing businesses. The WBC is a featured program on Prestamos' business coaching page.
• State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Technical Assistance ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestamos is an SSBCI Technical Assistance provider for Arizona, delivering workshops, webinars, and one-on-one coaching to help entrepreneurs understand financing options and prepare for SSBCI-funded capital programs administered by the Arizona Commerce Authority.
• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestamos operates an MBDA Business Center in Nevada, providing business development services to minority-owned businesses seeking federal contracts and growth opportunities.
• SCOREminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as a partner organization along with the CDFI Fund, SBA, and State/County/Local Economic Development Authorities in delivering small business support services.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pacific Community Ventures: California-based nonprofit providing capital, coaching, and connections to small businesses in underserved communities. Direct peer in the combined-capital-and-coaching CDFI model targeting minority and LMI entrepreneurs.
• Raza Development Fund: Largest national Latino-focused nonprofit CDFI and recurring NMTC co-investor alongside Prestamos on multiple projects including the Uvalde Legacy Elementary School. RDF is affiliated with UnidosUS and operates a similar mission-driven lending model targeting underserved Hispanic/Latino communities.
• Clearinghouse CDFI: California-based CDFI co-invested with Prestamos on the West Las Vegas Library NMTC project. Clearinghouse is a direct peer operating in overlapping geographies (CA, NV) with similar small business lending and NMTC deployment offerings targeting low-income communities.
• LiftFund: Texas-headquartered CDFI providing small business loans and coaching to underserved entrepreneurs, particularly Hispanic/Latino-owned businesses. LiftFund operates a directly comparable micro/SBA lending and technical assistance model serving similar demographic segments.
• Accion Opportunity Fund: National nonprofit CDFI co-investing with Prestamos on West Las Vegas Library NMTC. Accion Opportunity Fund provides small business loans and advisory services to underserved entrepreneurs, directly overlapping Prestamos' SMB lending and bilingual technical assistance model.
• Grow America: National nonprofit CDFI co-invested with Prestamos on the SoLa Model/Z modular affordable housing NMTC project. Grow America (formerly NCB Capital Impact) operates in the same NMTC allocation, small business lending, and community development space with comparable institutional co-investor relationships.
• CDC Small Business Finance: California-based CDFI offering SBA 504 and 7(a) loans, SBA Microloans, and community development financing. Direct peer in the SBA-backed small business lending space with overlapping West Coast and Southwest geographic coverage.
• Grameen America: National nonprofit microfinance organization providing small loans, financial education, and credit-building to low-income women entrepreneurs. Comparable mission-driven micro-lending model with similar SBA Microloan and below-market pricing approach.

Others

• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Federal agency partner that licenses Prestamos as an SBA Microloan and SBA Community Advantage lender. While not a direct competitor, the SBA defines the regulatory product parameters and program funding that Prestamos depends on, making it the most important ecosystem enabler in Prestamos' operating model.

Broad incumbents

• JPMorgan Chase Community Development Banking: Large-scale incumbent operating a community development banking unit that co-invests in NMTC transactions with Prestamos (e.g., $3.5M in Uvalde Legacy). Represents a much broader portfolio of community development lending but competes indirectly for NMTC allocation deployment opportunities and institutional co-investor relationships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PrestamosCDFI
• Facebookfacebook.com/PrestamosCDFI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prestamos-cdfi-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/prestamos.cdfi

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Prestamos CDFI