Mountain Association

Name

Mountain Association

Legal name

Mountain Association for Community Economic Development

Website

https://mtassociation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Financial Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Small business financing
• Energy savings programs
• Nonprofit business support
• Rural economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Berea

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

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 Income: Mountain Association generates revenue primarily through interest on business loans ranging from $1,000 to over $1 million. Interest rates typically range from 5% to 9.75% for general loans, with specialized rates for solar (4% fixed), energy efficiency (5%), emergency loans (3%), and disaster recovery loans (0-3.75%). The organization functions as a CDFI and nonprofit lender providing flexible financing to businesses and organizations underserved by traditional banks.
2. Program Services Revenue: Revenue from providing business support services, energy assessments, and technical assistance. While many services are free (energy assessments, business coaching inquiries), administrative closing fees on loans (2% for loans $50,000 or less, 1.5% for loans over $50,000) and fees for additional services like UCC filings, mortgage filings, and appraisals contribute to operational revenue.
3. Federal Program Administration: The organization administers USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants for clients, packaging over 60 grants totaling over $2.5 million since 2009. While REAP grants go to clients, the organization earns fees for grant application support services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mountain Association is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing flexible business loans ($1,000 to over $1 million) to small businesses, nonprofits, and local governments in Eastern Kentucky that cannot qualify for traditional bank financing. The organization complements its lending portfolio with free business coaching and training services, free energy assessments and consultations, and place-based community development support across 54 Appalachian Kentucky counties.

Product overview

The Mountain Association is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) offering a portfolio of interconnected financial products and services for Eastern Kentucky. The core offerings include flexible business lending (ranging from $1,000 to over $1 million) and specialized financing products including Solar Loans (4% fixed, 20-year terms), Energy Savings Microloans (5%, up to $50,000), Emergency Loans, Disaster Recovery Loans, Nonprofit Loans, and CrowdMatch Loans. These are complemented by free support services: the Business Support program providing coaching and training, the Initiate online resource platform for self-guided tools, and the Energy Program offering free assessments and consultations. The How$mart Kentucky sub-brand delivers residential efficiency programs through rural cooperatives, while the New Energy Internship trained contractors in renewable energy. The 479 Main Street Project represents the organization's first real estate development initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Lending
• Solar Loans
• Energy Savings Microloan
• Emergency Loans

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $22 million in current loan portfolio invested in Appalachian businesses
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core affiliate, core partnership, key community partner, key partner and vendor partner.

• Kentucky Natural Lands Trustcore affiliateStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNLT was founded as a MACED program in the early 1990s to protect old growth forest in Harlan County and critical land in Kentucky. It later became a stand-alone affiliate. Mountain Association continues to provide back-office support today.
• Kentucky Center for Economic Policy (Ky Policy)core affiliateStrategic or Co-development PartnerMACED formally launched Ky Policy in 2011 to do research and advocacy on state budget and policy challenges. In 2020, Ky Policy became an affiliate of Mountain Association. Mountain Association continues to provide back-office support.
• Central Appalachian Networkcore partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMountain Association is a founding member and partner of the Central Appalachian Network, a regional network working on sustainable development in Central Appalachia.
• What's Next EKY?!core partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMountain Association is a founding member and partner of What's Next EKY?! Network, a grassroots network of community and regional partners working to build collaboration across Eastern Kentucky.
• InVision Hazardkey community partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitizen-led coalition focused on revitalizing Hazard's downtown and giving voice to local residents' visions for the future. Founded with Mountain Association support in 2014. Led much of Hazard's revitalization work including downtown development coordination.
• Rural Electric Cooperativeskey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerMountain Association partners with rural electric cooperatives to deliver the How$mart Kentucky residential energy savings program through inclusive utility investment Pay-As-You-Save model. The program has created over $2.2 million in retrofits.
• Foundation for Appalachian Kentuckykey partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit community foundation based in Hazard. Mountain Association's Hazard office is currently located within their building. Partnership allows for concentrated philanthropic investment in the community and more local engagement.
• Deco Architectsvendor partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAward-winning architecture firm based in Somerset, Kentucky selected to design the 479 Main Street building redevelopment in Hazard. Firm is known for historic building remodels including the Virginia Theater renovation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TruFund Financial Services: National CDFI providing flexible small business loans and capacity-building services to underserved communities; comparable in nonprofit lending model, focus on borrowers unable to access traditional bank credit, and mission-driven approach.
• Inclusive Prosperity Capital: CDFI focused on clean energy and energy efficiency financing for underserved communities and small businesses; directly comparable in offering specialized energy loans and leveraging public-private capital for clean energy projects.
• Fahe (Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises): Appalachian CDFI network providing lending and housing finance across 13 states including Kentucky; comparable in offering flexible capital to underserved rural borrowers and operating as a community development intermediary.
• Hope Credit Union: CDFI credit union serving the Deep South with a focus on financial services for low-income and underserved communities; comparable in mission-driven lending model targeting borrowers outside the traditional banking system.
• Appalachian Community Capital: CDFI-focused loan consortium and small business investment company operating across Appalachia with a comparable mission of providing flexible capital to underserved Appalachian businesses and communities.
• Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation: Long-standing Kentucky-based CDFI providing small business loans and community development financing in Appalachian and rural Kentucky counties—direct overlap in service area, customer base, and product offering.

Broad incumbents

• Self-Help Credit Union: CDFI-credentialed credit union providing responsible lending products and community development services to underserved borrowers nationwide; comparable in mission alignment and CDFI status, though operates at significantly larger scale.

Others

• Opportunity Finance Network: National CDFI industry association providing capital, policy advocacy, and capacity-building support to a network of ~1,400 CDFIs including Mountain Association itself; comparable as the industry infrastructure that channels federal CDFI Fund dollars to members.

Regional players

• Southeast Kentucky Economic Development (SKED): Regional economic development entity serving Southeastern Kentucky with small business lending and community development services; directly comparable in geography, customer base, and core product set.

Emerging players

• Rural Action: Appalachian-focused community development organization delivering programs across sustainable agriculture, energy, and community resilience; comparable in serving Eastern Kentucky with mission-aligned community economic development programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mtassociationky
• Facebookfacebook.com/mtassociationky
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mountain-association-for-community-economic-development-maced-
• Instagraminstagram.com/mtassociationky
• TikToktiktok.com/@mtassociationky
• Xx.com/mtassociationky

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Mountain Association