Local Enterprise Assistance Fund
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Local Enterprise Assistance Fund
- Legal name
- Local Enterprise Assistance Fund
- Website
- https://leaffund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Finance
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs) (FSABAEAC)
Keywords
Where Local Enterprise Assistance Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Loan Interest Income: LEAF generates revenue through interest on loans provided to cooperatives and small businesses. Interest rates range from 0% to 3% based on investment term length.
- Investment Returns: Returns on invested capital from investors who provide minimum investments of $10,000 with rates based on 1-5 year terms.
- Advisory Services: Technical assistance and advisory services to small businesses in Massachusetts, provided at no cost to the business through the Elevate Small Business program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | 1-2 year term investments |
| Subscription | Annual | 3-4 year term investments |
| Subscription | Annual | 5+ year term investments |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LEAF is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing flexible financing and development assistance to cooperatives and social purpose ventures across the U.S. Its loan products serve food cooperatives, housing cooperatives, and worker cooperatives, with additional Massachusetts-focused healthy food enterprise financing, Elevate Small Business advisory services, and the Uplift Procure online procurement platform that connects underserved businesses with institutional buyers.
Product overview
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF) is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing financing and development assistance to cooperatives and social purpose ventures. The organization operates as a financial services provider rather than a traditional software product company. LEAF's core offerings include loan products for food cooperatives, housing cooperatives, and worker cooperatives across the United States, along with advisory services through its Elevate Small Business program in Massachusetts. The flagship technology initiative is Uplift Procure, a procurement platform developed with Google to connect underserved small businesses with institutional buyers. LEAF also manages investment products for impact investors seeking to support cooperative development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Food Cooperative Financing Flexible, affordable financing for food cooperatives throughout the United States, supporting start-up, expansion, real estate, and equipment purchases.
- Housing Cooperative Financing Construction and permanent financing for low-income housing cooperatives and community land trusts across the United States, for real estate acquisition or capital improvements.
- Worker Cooperative Financing Financing for cooperatively-owned businesses and social enterprises operating on a one-member-one-vote principle, providing living-wage jobs for low-income individuals. Supports worker co-ops and businesses converting to worker ownership.
- Elevate Small Business Solutions-oriented advisory services for Massachusetts small business owners, including one-on-one consultations, analytical services, financial guidance, and help with business challenges, delivered at no cost to the business.
- Uplift Procure Online procurement platform with proprietary technology that bridges cash-flow gaps for underserved small businesses working with institutional buyers; connects underrepresented Massachusetts businesses with institutional/anchor buyers, addressing payment terms that delay revenue 60-180 days after delivery.
- Massachusetts Food Trust Program Provides grants, technical assistance, and financing for healthy food enterprises in Massachusetts, including food retail, farms, and food access organizations; administered by LEAF in partnership with the Massachusetts Food Trust Program.
- Impact Investment Products Impact investment offerings starting at $10,000 minimum with 1-5 year terms and interest rates from 0% to 3% based on term length; allows investors to support LEAF's cooperative-finance mission while earning modest returns.
Quantifiable outcome
- $8 private capital leveraged for every $1 in federal CDFI funding
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Local Enterprise Assistance Fund
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, supporting and core.
- Mondragon CorporationflagshipWorld's largest federation of worker-owned cooperatives from Spain; LEAF hosting Social Economy Road Show bringing Mondragon leaders to Boston for cooperative development
- ASETT (Arizmendiarrieta Social Economy Think Tank)supportingSocial economy think tank co-convening Social Economy Road Show with LEAF
- American Sustainable Business NetworksupportingCo-convening Social Economy Road Show with LEAF
- ICA GroupcorePartnership for cooperative development and worker ownership transitions
- DSNI (Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative)coreFounding partner in Elevate Small Business program; community organization for cooperative development in Boston
- Food Co-op InitiativecoreNational organization supporting food cooperative development
- National Co-Op GrocerssupportingNational cooperative grocery organization
- ROC USAsupportingOrganization supporting resident-owned communities
- Opportunity Finance NetworksupportingNational network of community development finance institutions
- Commonwealth KitchensupportingPartner in founding Elevate Small Business program
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund social profiles
Digital presenceLocal Enterprise Assistance Fund compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Local Enterprise Assistance Fund
What does Local Enterprise Assistance Fund do?
LEAF is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing flexible financing and development assistance to cooperatives and social purpose ventures across the U.S. Its loan products serve food cooperatives, housing cooperatives, and worker cooperatives, with additional Massachusetts-focused healthy food enterprise financing, Elevate Small Business advisory services, and the Uplift Procure online procurement platform that connects underserved businesses with institutional buyers.
Is Local Enterprise Assistance Fund a public or private company?
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Local Enterprise Assistance Fund founded?
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Local Enterprise Assistance Fund based?
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Local Enterprise Assistance Fund make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Loan Interest Income is the primary driver. The others are investment Returns and advisory Services.
Does Local Enterprise Assistance Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Local Enterprise Assistance Fund.
What industry is Local Enterprise Assistance Fund in?
Local Enterprise Assistance Fund's product category is Community Development Finance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABAEAC, Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs). Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.