Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region

What Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region does

Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region is a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) incorporated in 1985 and headquartered at 255 Orange St #103, Albany, NY. It operates across 11 counties in New York's Capital Region — Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren, and Washington — providing access to capital and business training to nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and entrepreneurs underserved by traditional lenders. The organization pools investments and donations from socially concerned individuals and organizations and re-lends the capital, supplemented by federal CDFI Fund awards and corporate-funder grants such as the $1.24M U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund award received in March 2023.

Its product portfolio consists of Small Business Loans and Nonprofit Loans (core products), the 9-Week Business Planning Course ($275 tuition), the 6-Week Childcare Business Development Course ($225, registered on the Aspire platform and aligned with Quality Stars NY), individual workshops ($15-$275 with scholarships available), and the EDUpreneur Online Learning Platform — a web-based training environment currently undergoing a major redesign announced for 2026. Complementary services include one-on-one mentoring, the ACES Incubator (a physical incubator facility in Albany for women and minority-owned businesses, recognized with the 2022 Albany Business Review DEI in Business Award), and the Community Investment Trust for investor participation.

Go-to-market is community-led, driven by referral partnerships with Legal Aid Society of Northeastern NY, The Legal Project, Albany Law School's Clinic & Justice Center, the University at Albany's Institute of Nonprofit Leadership, GlobalFoundries, ISC2, AARP, Healthy Alliance Network, and the Albany Black Chamber, among others. Distribution combines direct relationship-based lending, virtual training on Zoom, and in-person workshops across the 11-county region. Governance rests with a board of directors and executive leadership including Executive Director Linda MacFarlane, Director of Training and Technical Assistance Destiny Watkins, and Training and Technical Assistance Associate Rose Bordett.

Name

Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region

Legal name

Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region

Website

https://mycommunityloanfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region is a nonprofit community development financial institution founded in 1985 that provides small business and nonprofit loans, business training, and incubator services to underserved entrepreneurs across 11 counties in New York's Capital Region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Financial Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance) (BPAGALAA), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Municipal Finance, Treasury, Budget & Procurement (BPAIACAC)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Small business financing
• Nonprofit loans
• Business training programs
• Entrepreneur education

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: As a community development financial institution (CDFI), the organization generates revenue through interest on loans provided to nonprofits and small businesses. It pools investments and donations from socially concerned individuals and organizations, and re-lends this capital to borrowers.
2. Training Program Fees: Revenue generated from fee-based training courses including the 9-Week Business Planning Course ($275), 6-Week Childcare Business Development Course ($225), and various workshops ($15-$275). Scholarships are available for income-eligible participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region is a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) that pools investments and donations from socially concerned individuals and organizations and re-lends this capital to nonprofit organizations and small businesses in New York State's Capital Region. It complements its lending with a comprehensive training and technical assistance ecosystem, including business planning courses, childcare business development, workshops, online learning (EDUpreneur), one-on-one mentoring, an incubator (ACES), and a community investment trust.

Product overview

Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region is a nonprofit community development financial institution providing a comprehensive suite of financial and training products. The core offerings include Small Business Loans and Nonprofit Loans for access to capital, complemented by an extensive training ecosystem consisting of the 9-Week Business Planning Course, 6-Week Childcare Business Development Course, EDUpreneur Online Learning Platform, One-on-one Mentoring, and individual Workshops. Additional programs include the ACES Incubator for women and minority-owned businesses and the Community Investment Trust for investor participation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACES Incubator: Albany Center of Economic Success - An incubator facility providing fully furnished and equipped office space for women and minority-owned small business and non-profit organizations looking to grow their entities.
• EDUpreneur
• Community Investment Trust

Products and services

• Small Business Loans Access to capital financing for small businesses, including loans for equipment, real estate, working capital, and business expansion across the 11-county Capital Region of New York.
• Nonprofit Loans Financing solutions for nonprofit organizations to support operations, capital improvements, real estate, and community programs in the Capital Region of New York.
• 9-Week Business Planning Course Intensive 9-week virtual training course teaching fundamental business planning concepts for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Includes class materials and is offered virtually via Zoom.
• 6-Week Childcare Business Development Course Business development course for childcare industry entrepreneurs covering business planning, HR for childcare, and marketing strategies. Includes 6 sessions and qualifies as a Quality Assured Tier 1 course on the Aspire platform.
• EDUpreneur Online Learning Platform Free online training platform providing courses and resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners, with an upcoming major redesign to enhance user experience.
• One-on-One Mentoring Individual mentoring sessions provided by Community Loan Fund staff to help entrepreneurs develop their business plans and achieve their goals.
• ACES Incubator (Albany Center of Economic Success) Business incubator providing fully furnished and equipped office space for women and minority-owned small businesses and nonprofit organizations looking to grow their entities.
• Community Investment Trust Investment opportunity allowing individuals and organizations to invest in the Loan Fund to support community development lending.
• Workshops Single-session workshops covering various business topics including email marketing, cybersecurity, business planning, cash flow management, legal issues, digital marketing, and more.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported opening of second location at 85% capacity within 3 months
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Healthy Alliance NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2022Partnership announced to support community health and economic development initiatives in the Capital Region.
• Legal Aid Society of Northeastern NY (LASNNY)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer free legal clinics for small business owners and entrepreneurs. LASNNY conducts eligibility screening and provides volunteer attorneys for confidential 45-minute legal consultations on NYS legal formation, business contract review, and service contract review.
• Global FoundriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership supporting the free legal clinic program for small businesses in the Capital Region.
• The Legal ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary partner hosting the Small Business Legal Network Clinic, providing free legal consultations with attorneys for people interested in starting or expanding a small business.
• Albany Law School (Clinic & Justice Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing law students and attorneys for the Small Business Legal Network Clinic, offering free 30-minute legal consultations via Zoom.
• Institute of Nonprofit Leadership and Community Development at the University at AlbanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership supporting the Small Business Legal Network Clinic program.
• IgniteU NYminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for in-person workshops such as 'Understanding Your Finances & How to Apply for Capital' for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
• AARPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to present 'Work For Yourself at 50+' workshops helping older adults explore entrepreneurship and business startup.
• ISC2minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide free Cybersecurity Health Checks for small businesses and nonprofits. ISC2 volunteers (world's largest cybersecurity association) help businesses understand and minimize cyber risk.
• Quality Stars NYminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation standard partnership allowing childcare professionals to be eligible for professional development hours and apply for scholarship funds through the Quality Stars NY program upon completing the 6-Week Childcare Business Development Course.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Excelsior Growth Fund: New York-based nonprofit CDFI providing loans and advisory services to small businesses and nonprofits, directly overlapping the Loan Fund's Capital Region market and target segments of underserved borrowers.
• Vermont Community Loan Fund: Regional CDFI delivering small business and nonprofit loans plus business advising in a defined geography, similar in scale, mission, and bundled services to the Capital Region Loan Fund.
• Adirondack Community Trust: Upstate New York nonprofit community foundation with grantmaking and impact-investing programs serving overlapping geographies and borrower constituencies in New York's northern regions.

Direct peers

• Grameen America: National nonprofit microfinance organization providing small-dollar loans and training to low-income entrepreneurs, comparable in mission, microloan product structure, and bundled training model.
• Accion Opportunity Fund: Community development financial institution offering small business loans, coaching, and training to underserved entrepreneurs across the U.S., closely mirroring the Loan Fund's capital-plus-technical-assistance model.
• Nonprofit Finance Fund: National CDFI that lends to and builds capacity with nonprofits, directly comparable to the Loan Fund's nonprofit lending and advisory work.
• Craft3: Northwest U.S. CDFI providing loans, technical assistance, and training to nonprofits, small businesses, and entrepreneurs — a strong structural analog despite geography.
• TruFund Financial Services: National CDFI providing loans and advisory services to small businesses and nonprofits in underserved communities, with a similar mission-driven, bundled-services approach.

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Large national CDFI with extensive small-business and nonprofit lending programs and local offices; competes for the same borrowers and federal CDFI funding pool but at significantly greater scale.

Others

• Opportunity Finance Network: National CDFI industry association that channels federal funding and capacity-building resources to member CDFIs including Community Loan Fund, making it both a peer ecosystem participant and a critical partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Communityloans
• Facebookfacebook.com/clfcr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clfcr
• Instagraminstagram.com/communityloans

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region