Hebrew Free Loan

What Hebrew Free Loan does

Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Francisco, founded in 1897 and legally incorporated as a California nonprofit (EIN 94-1156545), provides interest-free loans to Jewish individuals, families, businesses, and organizations in Northern California. The organization operates a revolving loan fund of approximately $28M in total assets, with roughly $21M actively deployed across 1,500 borrowers and a 99.5%+ repayment rate. Its portfolio comprises 19+ loan products organized by use case (Student, Adoption, Fertility, Business, Debt Consolidation, Disaster Relief, Emergency, Environmental, First-Time Homebuyer, Health Care, Life Cycle, Recently Unemployed, Special Needs, Israeli Assistance, Jewish Organizations, Ukraine Assistance, Furloughed Workers, and the non-Jewish Pollak Community Student Loan), with individual loan sizes ranging from $3,000 (Emergency) to $50,000 (Business and Jewish Organizations).

The organization runs no proprietary technology platform; loan applications are processed through a TFA Forms online portal, with phone and video interview verification, guarantor checks (2 guarantors for loans up to $20K, 3-4 for larger amounts), and Board review. There is no AI/ML infrastructure disclosed. Distribution relies on direct lending from the San Francisco headquarters at 131 Steuart Street Suite 520, supplemented by referral partnerships with the Jewish Community Federation, JWABA, Juma Ventures, and similar partner agencies, plus community events and the Business Circle membership program.

The economic model is donations-based rather than commercially revenue-generating: individual donations, planned giving/Legacy Society, 750+ Permanent Named Funds ($10,000+ initial gift), corporate matching gifts, and ancillary giving streams (cryptocurrency, securities, vehicle donations through CARS) fund the loan pool, which is recycled indefinitely as loans are repaid. A secondary revenue stream comes from the Business Circle and Business Leadership Community membership programs, with Business Circle tiers ranging from $1,800 to $36,000 annually. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors, Advisory Council, and 15+ staff led by Executive Director Cindy Rogoway since 2014.

Name

Hebrew Free Loan

Legal name

Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Francisco

Website

https://hflasf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Francisco, founded in 1897, is a California nonprofit that provides interest-free loans to Jewish individuals, families, businesses, and organizations across Northern California through 19+ loan products funded by donations and a revolving $28M asset base with ~21M deployed and a 99.5%+ repayment rate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Interest-Free Lending

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Secured Microloans (Community/Nonprofit, Collateralized) (FSAKALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA), Emergency & Short-Term Installment Personal Loans (Unsecured) (FSAKAAAH), Small-Dollar Short-Term Installment Loans (Non-payday) (FSAKAMAI)

Keywords

• Interest-free loans
• Nonprofit lending
• Community microfinance
• Jewish community lending
• Emergency financial assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals support the organization's loan fund. Donors contribute to ongoing operations and loan programs. The organization also has a Legacy Society for planned giving.
2. Permanent Named Funds: Donors can establish permanent named funds with an initial gift of $10,000. These funds exist in perpetuity and can be added to over time. The funds are used either to make loans directly or support organizational infrastructure. Over 750 named funds have been established since 1897.
3. Matching Gifts: Corporate matching gift programs where employers match employee donations, effectively doubling or tripling the original donation to Hebrew Free Loan.
4. Cryptocurrency Donations: The organization accepts gifts of cryptocurrency, which are promptly sold and transferred to Hebrew Free Loan in U.S. dollars.
5. Vehicle Donations: Vehicle donations accepted through registered partner CARS (Charity Auto Resources).
6. Securities Donations: Stocks, bonds, or mutual funds that have appreciated in value may be donated under current tax laws.
7. Loan Repayments (Recycled Capital): As loans are repaid, funds are recycled to make new loans. The organization has achieved a repayment rate of over 99.5%, creating a sustainable revolving loan fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hebrew Free Loan is a nonprofit organization that provides interest-free loans (zero percent APR) to Jewish individuals and families in Northern California across more than 19 distinct loan categories including student, business, adoption, fertility, first-time homebuyer, debt consolidation, emergency, disaster relief, and life cycle loans. The organization operates on a revolving loan fund model where repaid capital is recycled into new loans, supported by individual donations, permanent named funds, and corporate matching gifts.

Product overview

Hebrew Free Loan is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of 19 distinct interest-free loan products designed to help Jewish individuals and families in Northern California overcome financial challenges and pursue life dreams. The loan offerings range from targeted products like Student Loans ($10,000/year for undergrad/grad/vocational students), Adoption Loans (up to $20,000), Fertility Loans (up to $20,000), and Business Loans (up to $50,000) to emergency assistance like Emergency Loans (up to $3,000) and specialized programs like the Pollak Community Student Loan Program for non-Jewish lower-income students. Additionally, the organization operates community programs including the Business Circle (networking/membership), Business Leadership Community (monthly networking groups), Business Directory, and Full Circle Club (for former borrowers who become donors). The organization also maintains Permanent Named Funds as a legacy giving option established with $10,000+ contributions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adoption Loans Interest-free loans up to $20,000 to help with the costs of international or domestic adoptions, available to individuals or couples.
• Business Loans Interest-free loans up to $50,000 to launch or expand small businesses for Jewish entrepreneurs in Northern California.
• Debt Consolidation Loans Interest-free loans up to $20,000 to find relief from high-interest debt and achieve financial well-being.
• Disaster Relief Loans Interest-free loans up to $25,000 for immediate needs or longer-term recovery costs related to natural disasters.
• Emergency Loans Interest-free loans up to $3,000 for urgent needs such as food, shelter, or medical expenses, processed as quickly as possible.
• Environmental Loans Interest-free loans up to $20,000 for projects or purchases that increase energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, conserve resources, protect the climate, and/or reduce waste.
• Furloughed Workers Loans

Quantifiable outcome

• Repayment rate of over 99.5%
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• International Association of Jewish Free Loans (IAJFL)coreOthersHebrew Free Loan is a founding member of IAJFL, a network of more than 50 Jewish free loan agencies throughout the world with the common goal of providing interest-free loans to those in need. Executive Director Cindy Rogoway serves as President of IAJFL. The association provides collaborative support and best practice sharing among member agencies in America, Canada, Israel, Australia, and Brazil.
• Jewish Women's Alliance of the Bay Area (JWABA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHebrew Free Loan partners with JWABA to offer Social Justice Scholarships for Jewish Women. Up to four Tanette Goldberg Scholarships are awarded annually through this partnership. The partnership supports Jewish women's education and professional development.
• CARS (Charity Auto Resources)minorOthersRegistered partner for vehicle donations. Donors can give vehicles through CARS, with the donation process completed in as little as two minutes. Vehicle donations are sold and transferred to Hebrew Free Loan.
• Corporate Matching Gift ProgramsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious corporate employee matching gift programs that match donations made by employees to Hebrew Free Loan. Many companies with matching gift programs provide quick online submission processes. Contact: Jamie Hyams at (628) 231-2911 for assistance.
• Pollak Community Loan Program Partner AgenciescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner agencies refer lower-income, first-generation, undocumented, and refugee students to the Pollak Community Student Loan Program. Partner agencies include Juma Ventures and other organizations serving students from lower-income backgrounds. Terry Lowe manages the program.
• Jewish Community FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated adjacent to the Jewish Community Federation at 131 Steuart Place. Hebrew Free Loan maintains close ties with the Jewish Federation of the Bay Area. During COVID-19, Laura Lauder mobilized the Federation's Endowment Committee to provide a $5.6 million pooled interest-free loan for relief.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Accion Opportunity Fund: Community development financial institution (CDFI) providing small business loans and resources to underserved small business owners, including in the Bay Area. Comparable to Hebrew Free Loan's business lending program for Jewish entrepreneurs, though serving a broader demographic and operating at larger scale.
• Mission Asset Fund: San Francisco-based nonprofit that creates pathways to financial stability for low-income communities through zero-interest Lending Circles. Operates a closely analogous community-based, interest-free lending model and shares the same regional geography as Hebrew Free Loan, making it a relevant functional and geographic peer.

Broad incumbents

• Grameen America: U.S. nonprofit microfinance organization providing small-dollar loans to women entrepreneurs in low-income communities. Operates a similar nonprofit-lending mission serving underserved populations, though focused on microenterprise rather than the diverse life-event loan categories offered by Hebrew Free Loan.
• Kiva: San Francisco-headquartered nonprofit microlending platform enabling crowdfunded 0% interest loans to underserved borrowers worldwide. Comparable to Hebrew Free Loan as a mission-aligned nonprofit lender using social capital to underwrite borrowers outside the traditional credit system, but operating at vastly greater scale via technology.

Regional players

• Hebrew Free Loan Society: The largest and oldest Jewish free loan agency in the United States, founded in 1892 and based in New York City. Operates a nearly identical interest-free lending model with a guarantor-based structure serving the New York Jewish community — the most operationally comparable organization to Hebrew Free Loan San Francisco.
• Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Philadelphia: Philadelphia-area Jewish free loan agency serving the local Jewish community with interest-free loans. Shares the same biblical-mandate philosophy, revolving loan fund model, and guarantor-based underwriting approach as Hebrew Free Loan San Francisco.
• Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Boston: Greater Boston's Jewish free loan agency providing interest-free loans to the local Jewish community. Shares Hebrew Free Loan's biblical-mandate philosophy, guarantor-based underwriting, and nonprofit revolving loan fund structure.
• Jewish Free Loan Association: Los Angeles-based Jewish free loan agency serving the Southern California Jewish community with interest-free loans. Operates the same community-lending nonprofit model with a comparable guarantor framework, making it a direct functional mirror of Hebrew Free Loan in a different geography.

Emerging players

• Working Solutions CDFI: San Francisco-based nonprofit microenterprise lender providing small business loans and mentorship to lower-income entrepreneurs in the Bay Area. Directly comparable to Hebrew Free Loan's business lending program from a product and geography perspective, though focused on microenterprise rather than broader life-event loans.

Others

• International Association of Jewish Free Loans (IAJFL): Industry association and standards body for the Jewish free loan network worldwide. Hebrew Free Loan is a founding member and its Executive Director serves as IAJFL President. Functions as a peer network rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hflasf
• Facebookfacebook.com/hebrewfreeloansf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hebrew-free-loan-of-san-francisco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Hebrew Free Loan