Community Investment Fund of Indiana (CIFI)

What Community Investment Fund of Indiana (CIFI) does

Community Investment Fund of Indiana (CIFI) is a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a regional office in Hammond. Founded in 2010 (or 2011 per one source), CIFI provides small business loans ranging from $25,000 to $250,000, housing and community development financing, and loan participations to entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations in Indiana that lack access to traditional bank credit due to regulatory constraints or location in economically distressed census tracts. CIFI's core product suite comprises Business Loans, Housing and Community Development Financing, and Loan Participations, supported by free pre- and post-loan Development Services and a structured Bank Referral program that channels turn-downs from Indiana banks into CIFI deal flow.

The organization is funded through a hybrid of foundation grants, federal and state government awards (including a $1.5 million U.S. Department of the Treasury award in July 2021), and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) investment capital from partner banks including Fifth Third Bank, First Financial, Lake City Bank, and Merchants Bank of Indiana. Revenue is generated primarily through interest income on loans, supplemented by grant funding. CIFI has a lean team of 1-10 employees and a Board of Directors drawn from partner banks, state housing and economic development agencies (IHCDA, IEDC), and community development organizations. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and partnership-driven: business development officers work directly with borrowers, while bank referral partners, economic development organizations, and CDFI co-lenders supply the majority of the deal pipeline. CIFI does not operate a proprietary technology platform beyond a web-based loan application portal and has no disclosed AI, API, or data infrastructure capabilities.

Name

Community Investment Fund of Indiana (CIFI)

Legal name

Community Investment Fund of Indiana Inc.

Website

https://capitalizingindiana.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Community Investment Fund of Indiana (CIFI) is a non-profit U.S. Treasury-certified CDFI providing $25,000-$250,000 small business loans, housing and community development financing, and loan participations to underserved Indiana entrepreneurs and non-profits lacking access to traditional bank credit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Finance / CDFI Lending

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211), Commercial Banking (522110)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs) (FSABAEAC)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Small business loans
• CDFI financing
• Affordable housing financing
• Gap financing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: CIFI generates revenue through interest income on small business loans ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 provided to entrepreneurs who lack access to traditional bank credit.
2. Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Investment Capital: CIFI receives investment capital from banks to help them meet CRA obligations. Banks invest in CIFI to serve low-to-moderate income individuals and underserved communities.
3. Foundation and Government Grants: CIFI secures funding from foundation grants, federal and state government agencies for operations and lending activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CIFI is a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that provides small business loans ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 to Indiana entrepreneurs lacking access to traditional bank credit. It also offers housing and community development financing, loan participations with banks and other lenders, and free pre- and post-loan development services such as business planning and loan package preparation.

Product overview

CIFI operates as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) offering a portfolio of complementary lending products and support services for Indiana businesses and communities. The core offerings consist of Business Loans ($25,000-$250,000 range), Housing and Community Development Financing, and Loan Participations. These lending products are supported by Development Services (pre-loan and post-loan technical assistance) and a Bank Referral Program. CIFI also provides an online loan application portal for document submission and account management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Loans Small business loans ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 for Indiana entrepreneurs lacking access to traditional bank credit, financing real estate acquisition, equipment purchases, inventory purchases, improvements, and working capital for businesses that create or sustain jobs for low-to-moderate-income individuals.
• Housing and Community Development Financing Loans for Indiana non-profit and for-profit organizations seeking to improve neighborhoods through affordable housing or community facilities, financing pre-development, acquisition, construction, and rehabilitation phases.
• Loan Participations Participation loans made by multiple lenders to a single borrower, with CIFI participating with banks, non-bank lenders, and other CDFIs on either pari passu or senior/subordinated basis.
• Development Services Pre-loan and post-loan assistance including business planning, loan package preparation, management assistance, and other support for starting, strengthening, or growing customer businesses, provided without charge.
• Bank Referrals Program Referral program for small business owners unable to obtain bank financing, providing counseling, assessment of financing objectives, and a pathway to building credit for future bank lending.
• Online Loan Application Portal Web-based loan application system allowing borrowers to create accounts, upload required documentation including tax returns, financial statements, and business plans, and track application status.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% of activities must serve target population of low-income persons or businesses in distressed census tracks with poverty rate of at least 20%

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Cambridge Capital Management Corp.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCambridge Capital Management Corp. manages investment portfolios of LYNX Capital Corporation and Indiana Community Business Credit Corporation. Charles Kennedy, Executive Vice President, serves on CIFI's board. The firm underwrites HUD Section 108 loan program and New Markets Tax Credit Small Business loan program.
• Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority (IHCDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIHCDA is a state agency partner providing housing and community development programs. Jake Sipe from IHCDA serves on CIFI's board.
• Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIEDC is the state's economic development agency and a community partner supporting CIFI's mission.
• Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISBDC is a referral and resource partner that assists CIFI customers with business planning and financial projections. CIFI refers customers to ISBDC for extensive business planning assistance.
• LISC IndianapolismajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) is a community development financial partner supporting CIFI's work in Indianapolis communities.
• Bright Point DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBright Point Development is a CDFI and key lending partner providing community development financing.
• INHP (Indiana Neighborhood Housing Platform)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerINHP is a CDFI partner focused on housing development in Indiana.
• Prosperity IndianaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProsperity Indiana is a non-profit partner supporting community development efforts.
• Opportunity Finance NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpportunity Finance Network is a national non-profit trade organization for community development finance.
• Lake County, IndianaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLake County economic development agency is a community partner supporting CIFI's northern Indiana operations.
• City of IndianapolisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Indianapolis is a municipal partner supporting community development initiatives.
• Hammond Innovation CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHammond Innovation Center supports innovation and entrepreneurship in Hammond, Indiana.
• City of South BendminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of South Bend is a municipal community partner.
• International Marketplace CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Marketplace Coalition is a community organization partner.
• Bose LawminorOthersBose Law is a legal partner providing legal services to CIFI.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Brightpoint: Indiana-based community development loan fund providing small business loans, housing financing, and development services to underserved communities statewide. Listed as a CIFI lending partner and operates the same CDFI small business lending model with overlapping Indiana geography and target population.
• Indiana Neighborhood Housing Platform (INHP): Indiana CDFI focused on housing development financing, identified as a CIFI partner. Operates with the same CDFI certification, federal funding access, and Indiana-focused mission, overlapping directly with CIFI's housing and community development product line.
• Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC): Certified CDFI providing small business loans (typically under $250K) and development services to underserved entrepreneurs in Wisconsin and neighboring states. Closely comparable operating model to CIFI in ticket size, target customer (LMI borrowers), and bundled technical-assistance approach.
• LiftFund: San Antonio-headquartered CDFI providing micro and small business loans to underserved entrepreneurs across multiple states. Directly comparable to CIFI on loan size, target borrower profile, bank referral relationships, and bundled development services.
• Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI): Maine-based CDFI providing small business loans, housing/community development financing, and consulting services to underserved communities. Matches CIFI on the three-pillar CDFI model (small business lending, community development, technical assistance) with similar ticket sizes and federal funding access.
• Justine Petersen Housing & Reinvestment Corporation: St. Louis-based CDFI providing small business loans, housing financing, and credit-building services to LMI borrowers. Operates a near-identical business model to CIFI across product categories, customer segment, and CDFI Fund funding strategy.

Broad incumbents

• LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation): National CDFI and community development intermediary with a major Indianapolis presence (identified as CIFI partner). Operates across the same CDFI categories as CIFI (small business, housing, community facilities) but at materially larger scale and broader national footprint, competing for the same federal and CRA capital pools.
• Reinvestment Fund: Mid-Atlantic CDFI providing financing for housing, community facilities, small business, and healthy food access. Comparable in product mix and CDFI funding model but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geography than CIFI, representing both a peer and potential partnership counterparty.

Emerging players

• Grameen America: National microfinance nonprofit providing small-dollar loans to women entrepreneurs in low-income communities. Comparable to CIFI in serving LMI micro-entrepreneurs and bundling financial services with development support, but focuses on smaller personal/business loans and a different borrower demographic.

Others

• Opportunity Finance Network (OFN): National CDFI trade association of which CIFI is a member through its CDFI Fund participation. Not a direct competitor but the industry body that aggregates CDFI capital, sets standards, and channels federal funding to the network including CIFI.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Community Investment Fund of Indiana (CIFI)