Rise Community Development

What Rise Community Development does

Rise Community Development is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, founded in 1989 and rebranded under its current name in 2013. The organization operates as both a community developer and a development consultant, serving community development corporations (CDCs), local and state government agencies, financial institutions, and small businesses across the St. Louis metropolitan area, Madison County, and St. Clair County. Rise maintains over 25 affordable housing developments and reports helping secure $675 million in funding for neighborhood redevelopment since inception.

The organization's core service lines are: (1) Rise CDFI lending providing loans paired with development services to small businesses, particularly minority and women-owned subcontracting firms, and neighborhood-scale real estate developers; (2) community development support offering capacity building, technical assistance, and training to other CDCs; (3) community planning services utilizing a liaison model with a racial equity lens; (4) Data & Informing St. Louis, a GIS and data intermediary function that operates as the St. Louis partner for the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership; and (5) real estate development and consulting for affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including structuring tax credit transactions (LIHTC, HTC, NMTC, AHAP). Rise manages 60+ affiliate entities to hold real estate interests and operates with a 10-person full-time staff supported by interns.

Rise generates revenue through a mix of grants and contributions from foundations, government agencies, and individual donors; development consulting fees from corporate, government, and nonprofit clients; and net interest income from its CDFI lending activity. The organization is governed by a board drawn from regional financial institutions and academic institutions, including Washington University in St. Louis, and is a founding member of Missouri Workforce Housing Association. Leadership transitioned in 2024 with Colleen Hafner becoming Executive Director, alongside new senior hires for finance and asset management functions.

Name

Rise Community Development

Legal name

Rise Community Development

Website

https://risestl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rise Community Development is a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1989 that provides affordable housing development, CDFI lending, capacity-building technical assistance, community planning, and GIS data services to CDCs, government agencies, financial institutions, and small businesses across the St. Louis metro region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE), Real Estate Public-Private Partnership (PPP) & Infrastructure-Adjacent Real Estate Advisory (BPAJANAL), Affordable Rental & Multifamily Housing Finance Programs (LIHTC/Tax Credits/Subsidized Loans) (FSALAKAF), Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Housing Programs (FSALAKAO)

Keywords

• Affordable housing development
• Community development lending
• Nonprofit community development
• Urban planning consulting
• Community development financial institution

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and Contributions: Rise is funded by grants and contributions from foundations, government agencies, and individual donors.
2. Development Consulting Fees: Fees earned from development projects and consulting work for community development organizations, government agencies, and financial institutions.
3. CDFI Lending: Rise CDFI offers loans to small businesses, particularly minority and women-owned subcontracting firms and neighborhood scale real estate developers. Each loan is paired with development services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rise Community Development is a nonprofit community developer and consultant that delivers five core service lines: (1) Rise CDFI lending to small businesses, particularly minority and women-owned firms and neighborhood-scale real estate developers; (2) Real Estate Development as developer, lender, or consultant for affordable and mixed-income housing; (3) Community Planning Services via a liaison model applying a racial equity lens; (4) Capacity Building Technical Assistance to community development corporations (CDCs) and government agencies; and (5) GIS and Data Intermediary Services as the St. Louis partner of NNIP. Each lending engagement is paired with development services, and consulting engagements cover tax credit applications (LIHTC, HTC, NMTC, AHAP), feasibility analysis, and project planning.

Product overview

Rise Community Development is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of community development services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include: Rise CDFI (lending services for small businesses and real estate developers), Community Development Support (capacity building for CDCs), Community Planning Services, Data & Informing St. Louis (GIS and data intermediary services), and Real Estate Development (affordable housing development and consulting). The organization has developed over 25 affordable housing properties throughout the St. Louis region. As a nonprofit community developer, Rise connects communities with local institutions to empower neighborhood revitalization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rise CDFI Lending Loans tailored to small businesses in the St. Louis region, particularly minority and women-owned subcontracting firms and neighborhood-scale real estate developers, paired with development services.
• Community Development Support Capacity building technical assistance to St. Louis-area community development corporations (CDCs) including organizational assessments, individualized technical assistance, and group training classes.
• Community Planning Services Community master plans and comprehensive plans delivered via a liaison model of planning and engagement, applying a racial equity lens, with focus on implementation beyond traditional zoning and land use.
• Data & Informing St. Louis (GIS and Data Services) Local data intermediary services including GIS, cartography, demographic analysis, neighborhood change indicator tracking, and data capacity building for community organizations.
• Real Estate Development Affordable housing and mixed-use real estate development as developer, lender, or development consultant, including project planning, feasibility analysis, financial projections, market assessment, and tax credit program applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,500+ homes and 137,000 sq ft of commercial space developed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Missouri Workforce Housing Association (MOWHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRise is a founding member of MOWHA, which works to influence positive workforce housing policy at federal, state, and local levels, engaging with Missouri Housing Development Commission, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and other housing programs for low-income Missourians.
• Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis (CBN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRise is a member of CBN, an association of community building nonprofits working to build vibrant neighborhoods where people of different incomes, races, and walks of life can access opportunities and resources.
• National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRise is the St. Louis local partner for NNIP, a learning network coordinated by the Urban Institute of independent organizations in 30 cities that share a mission to ensure all communities have access to data and skills to use information to advance equity.
• St. Louis CDFI CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership among nine Community Development Financial Institutions offering capital, development, and consulting services to empower a comprehensively healthy St. Louis community through support for nonprofits, small businesses, and communities facing disinvestment.
• Illinois Housing CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide membership organization promoting stabilization of communities through production and preservation of affordable housing in Illinois.
• Washington University Redevelopment Corporation (WUMCRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through WUMCRC affiliate Forest West Properties on Adams Grove mixed-income housing development in Forest Park Southeast, transforming the area as a model for mixed-income neighborhood redevelopment.
• Lutheran Development GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner on Chippewa Park development - 46 apartment homes with commercial space in Gravois-Jefferson Streetcar Suburb National Register Historic District.
• UrbanWerks ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture and design services partner for Gravois-Jefferson planning process.
• Development StrategiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarket study producer for Gravois-Jefferson planning process and consulting client for real estate development.
• Dutchtown South Community CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed community outreach efforts for Gravois-Jefferson Historic Neighborhoods planning process. Active collaboration on neighborhood revitalization.
• Tower Grove Neighborhoods CDCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on A Guide to Understanding and Addressing Vacant Property document for the City of Saint Louis.
• Saint Louis University Law ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on A Guide to Understanding and Addressing Vacant Property document for the City of Saint Louis.
• Mt. Sinai Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Winstanley Community Plan for East St. Louis neighborhood.
• HT Design LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign partner on Winstanley Community Plan.
• North Newstead AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Rise Young Professionals on St. Louis Place and JeffVanderLou Neighborhood Resource Guide, and consulting client.
• Urban Land InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional membership organization supporting sustainable land use and community development.
• Neighborhood-based OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRise partners with neighborhood-based organizations throughout St. Louis to create stable housing for residents who make 60% or less of Area Median Income.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI and community development intermediary that provides funding, technical assistance, and capacity building to CDCs - directly comparable to Rise's dual developer + capacity builder model.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that develops affordable housing and partners with CDCs on community development - closely aligns with Rise's housing production and CDC support services.
• Mercy Housing: Nonprofit affordable housing developer and service provider operating across multiple states; comparable to Rise's affordable housing development and resident services approach.
• National Development Council: National nonprofit CDFI providing development financing and technical assistance to community development projects - analogous to Rise CDFI's lending + development services model.

Regional players

• McCormack Baron Salazar: St. Louis-based national for-profit developer focused on mixed-income urban revitalization; comparable to Rise's affordable housing and mixed-use developments in the same metro.
• St. Louis Equity Fund: St. Louis-based LIHTC syndicator and CDFI affiliate; closely comparable to Rise CDFI's affordable housing financing operations in the same region.
• Habitat for Humanity St. Louis: Regional nonprofit housing developer serving the same St. Louis market with comparable affordable housing mission and volunteer-driven model.
• Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis: Association of community building nonprofits in St. Louis that Rise is a member of; comparable member organizations and CDC partners in the same ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Urban Institute (National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership): Coordinator of the NNIP network of which Rise is the St. Louis partner; provides comparable data intermediary and community indicator research capabilities at a national scale.

Broad incumbents

• NeighborWorks America: National network that funds and trains community development nonprofits; Rise's CDC capacity-building work is comparable to NeighborWorks' training and capital deployment functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/risestl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwiX6hmAhEbklNf76uPRd-w
• Facebookfacebook.com/Rise-164078437081003
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3349388

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Rise Community Development