What CBAC does

CBAC (Cooperative Business Assistance Corporation) is a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Community Development Entity (CDE) founded in 1987 and headquartered in Camden, New Jersey. It provides microloans ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 and small business loans ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 to for-profit small businesses in Southern New Jersey (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties) and Philadelphia. The organization also administers geographic/targeted loan programs in partnership with local and county governments, and provides complimentary one-on-one training and technical assistance to borrowers alongside its credit products. CBAC is staffed by approximately 10 employees led by a long-tenured executive team and operates primarily through relationship-based direct lending, bank co-lending, and community organization referrals.

CBAC's business model combines interest and fee income from its loan portfolio with grant and cooperative-agreement funding from federal and state sources including the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), USDA Rural Development, the U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). Notable recent inflows include a $500,000 Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund grant (2021), $2,000,000 from NJEDA's Micro Lender Support Grant Program (2021), a $1,500,000 NJEDA Premier CDFI Program approval (2020), and a $500,000 CDFI Fund award (2023). Its origination model relies on co-lending and referral relationships with more than 20 bank partners including PNC, TD, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Truist, WSFS, and Citizens.

The technology footprint is modest: a Wix-based website hosts loan information, applications, and a basic loan calculator, and there is no proprietary loan origination system, mobile application, or public API referenced. Distribution is driven by 20+ bank referral partners, community organizations including the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ), Regional Business Assistance Corporation (RBAC), and Rutgers SBDC, plus local government partnerships. Between 2014 and 2024 CBAC originated over 1,100 loans, and it has been the #1 SBA Microlender in New Jersey for 19 of the past 23 years while consistently ranking in the SBA national top ten for loan dollars. In April 2022 CBAC indefinitely suspended accepting startup loan applications citing demand and staff capacity, narrowing its addressable market to existing businesses with 12+ months of operating history.

Name

CBAC

Legal name

Cooperative Business Assistance Corporation

Website

https://cbaclenders.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CBAC is a non-profit CDFI founded in 1987 that provides microloans ($1,000–$50,000) and small business loans ($50,000–$250,000), plus technical assistance, to underserved small businesses across Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia, funding operations through loan interest income and federal and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Lending

SIC

Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)

Keywords

• Microloans small business
• CDFI lending services
• Community development lending
• Small business financing
• Technical assistance business

Headquarters

HQ city

Camden

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest and Fees: CBAC generates revenue through interest earned on microloans and small business loans, along with associated loan fees. As a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), interest rates are competitive and transparent while generating operational revenue.
2. Government Funding Agreements: CBAC receives funding through cooperative agreements with federal agencies including the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Intermediary Relending Program, supporting its microlending operations.
3. Grant Revenue: CBAC receives grants from financial institutions and foundations including Wells Fargo ($500,000), WSFS Bank ($200,000), and other partners to support lending programs and operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CBAC is a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that originates Microloans ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 and Small Business Loans ranging from $50,000 to $250,000+ to for-profit small businesses and startups in Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia. The organization complements its loans with no-cost one-on-one Training & Technical Assistance, geographic/targeted loan programs delivered with local government partners, and a free online Loan Calculator. All loan products are underwritten with transparent, competitive interest rates and low fees, often in partnership with 20+ regional banks for co-lending and referral arrangements.

Product overview

CBAC offers a unified loan products portfolio centered on two primary offerings: Microloans ($1,000-$50,000) and Small Business Loans ($50,000-$250,000+). The organization also provides Geographic/Targeted Loans through partnerships with local governments in specific New Jersey counties and Philadelphia. All borrowers have access to complimentary Training & Technical Assistance services and a Loan Calculator tool. CBAC acts as both a direct lender and a partner with banks to provide gap financing for small businesses in Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Microloans Direct loans ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 for small business expenses including equipment, inventory, working capital, leasehold improvements, and refinancing of existing business debt. Available to for-profit small businesses in all stages of development, including startups, in Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia. Maximum 84-month terms with competitive, transparent rates and low fees.
• Small Business Loans Loans ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 or more for established for-profit small businesses, typically made in partnership with other lenders. Proceeds can be used for purchasing or refinancing business real estate, working capital, and other allowable business expenses. Typical 5-year terms with up to 20-year amortization schedules available.
• Geographic / Targeted Loans Specialty loan programs in select geographic locations (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties in New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) offered in partnership with local and county governments and agencies. Programs have limited funding and vary in eligibility requirements, loan amounts, terms, interest rates, and fees.
• Training & Technical Assistance No-cost customized coaching, training, and technical assistance services provided one-on-one to CBAC borrowers, often on-site at their business locations. Services include evaluating financial performance, designing marketing strategies, workforce hiring assistance, and business expansion guidance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,100 loans originated from 2014 to 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in community development lending and investment in New Jersey
• African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness association partnership for referral of minority-owned businesses and joint advocacy
• Regional Business Assistance Corporation (RBAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner for business assistance and referral services
• Opportunity Finance Network (OFN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of CDFIs that CBAC participates in for best practices and industry collaboration
• U.S. Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Rutgers University Camden CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing business development resources and referrals to CBAC
• Gloucester CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partnership for Small Business Revolving Loan Fund serving local businesses

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LiftFund: Texas-based nonprofit CDFI providing microloans and small business loans to underserved entrepreneurs, combined with business training. Directly comparable in mission, products, and SBA microlending status to CBAC.
• New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC): New Jersey-based CDFI providing small business and community development lending. A direct peer to CBAC in the same geography, participating alongside CBAC in NJEDA's Premier CDFI Program and the Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund.
• Regional Business Assistance Corporation (RBAC): Regional CDFI providing microlending and small business financing in New Jersey. A close peer to CBAC, sharing the same NJEDA Premier CDFI and Wells Fargo grant cohorts and operating in overlapping Southern NJ markets.
• UCEDC: New Jersey-based CDFI offering small business loans and technical assistance. Co-participates with CBAC in NJEDA's Premier CDFI Program and serves overlapping small-business and minority-borrower segments.
• Justine Petersen: St. Louis-based CDFI providing microloans and small business financing paired with credit-building and technical assistance. Closely comparable mission and product set to CBAC, including the SBA microlending partnership model.
• Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI): Maine-based CDFI providing small business financing, technical assistance, and SBA microlending to underserved entrepreneurs. A comparable mission-driven microlender with similar product suite and partnership-based GTM.
• Pacific Community Ventures: California-based nonprofit CDFI providing small business loans and advising to underserved entrepreneurs. Directly comparable in pairing capital with technical assistance to bridge gaps left by conventional lenders.

Broad incumbents

• Accion: National nonprofit microlender and small business lender serving underserved entrepreneurs across multiple U.S. markets. A broader CDFI peer to CBAC with overlapping mission and products but significantly greater geographic scale.

Emerging players

• Kiva: Global nonprofit microfinance platform enabling crowdfunded small business loans to underserved borrowers. Partial overlap with CBAC's microlending mission, though Kiva's digital model targets a different GTM.
• Grameen America: U.S. microfinance nonprofit providing small-dollar business loans to low-income entrepreneurs, primarily women. Mission-aligned with CBAC's underserved-borrower focus, but with a different microloan structure and methodology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cbaclenders
• Facebookfacebook.com/CBACLenders
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cooperative-business-assistance-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/cbaclenders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 CBAC