Community Investment Collaborative
Community Investment Collaborative is a Charlottesville, Virginia-based CDFI-certified nonprofit that delivers entrepreneurship education, mentoring, networking, and micro-loans (up to $50,000) to under-resourced entrepreneurs across Central and Southern Virginia through 16-week workshops and ongoing advisory support.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersCharlottesville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Community Investment Collaborative does
Community Investment Collaborative (CIC) is a Charlottesville, Virginia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 by Toan Nguyen to address financing gaps and lack of support systems for under-resourced entrepreneurs in Central and Southern Virginia. The organization delivers a four-pillar program — education, mentoring, networking, and financing — anchored by a 16-week Entrepreneur Workshop delivered in-person (Charlottesville and Culpeper-Orange regions) and virtually (Southern Virginia) at $750 per participant with need-based scholarships available. Financing is provided through a CDFI-certified microloan program offering loans up to $50,000, supplemented by the Financial Management Program, Mentoring, Small Business Circles, LaunchPad, and a Social Entrepreneur Bootcamp.
CIC has been CDFI-certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury since February 2021 and serves as fiscal sponsor and host for the Central Virginia Small Business Development Center. Funding comes from a mix of program fees, charitable donations, government grants (GO Virginia, SBA, CARES Act partnerships with 11 municipalities), and interest income from the microloan portfolio. The organization reports having deployed over $5 million in capital and guided 600 entrepreneurs across its 13-year history, with 2024 activity including $1.05 million in loans to 31 borrowers, 241 businesses supported, and 47 full-time jobs created. Headcount is 1-10 employees and the organization is led by President Stephen Davis with a 2025-promoted executive team including a COO, Chief Lending Officer, SBDC Director, and Director of People Resources.
Community Investment Collaborative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Community Investment Collaborative
- Legal name
- Community Investment Collaborative
- Website
- https://cicville.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Community Investment Collaborative is a Charlottesville, Virginia-based CDFI-certified nonprofit that delivers entrepreneurship education, mentoring, networking, and micro-loans (up to $50,000) to under-resourced entrepreneurs across Central and Southern Virginia through 16-week workshops and ongoing advisory support.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Community Investment Collaborative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microfinance and Entrepreneurship Education Services
- NAICS
- Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)
Keywords
Where Community Investment Collaborative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Charlottesville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Community Investment Collaborative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: CIC relies on charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors to fund operations and programs. The organization is a nonprofit entity formed in Virginia.
- Program Fees: The 16-week Entrepreneur Workshop charges tuition of $750 per participant. Need-based scholarships and payment plans are available to reduce barriers to access.
- CDFI Lending Operations: As a CDFI-certified organization, CIC provides micro-loans up to $50,000 to qualified entrepreneurs, generating revenue through loan interest.
- Government Grants and Partnerships: CIC receives grants and administers government funding programs (CARES Act) in partnership with 11+ area municipalities for economic development initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | One-time payment | Standard Tuition - $750 per participant |
| One time/ perpetual license | One-time payment | Scholarship Rate - As low as $125 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Community Investment Collaborative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Community Investment Collaborative (CIC) is a Charlottesville, Virginia-based nonprofit that supports under-resourced entrepreneurs through a four-pillar model: education (16-week Entrepreneur Workshops), mentoring (one-on-one advisory and Small Business Circles), financing (CDFI-certified microloans up to $50,000), and networking (community events and pitch nights). The organization also hosts the Central Virginia Small Business Development Center (CV SBDC) and provides coworking, financial coaching, and specialized programs such as LaunchPad and the Social Entrepreneur Bootcamp.
Product overview
CIC operates as a nonprofit business support organization offering a comprehensive ecosystem of programs for entrepreneurs. The core offerings include three variants of the 16-week Entrepreneur Workshop (main, Culpeper-Orange, and Southern Virginia), paired with the Financial Management Program (FMP) for financial coaching, a Mentoring Program for one-on-one advisory support, and Small Business Circles for peer group learning. Financing is provided through the Microloan Program (up to $50,000) and CDFI-certified financing targeting underserved populations. Additional support includes Office Hours for drop-in advising, The Collaborative coworking space, LaunchPad for emerging entrepreneurs, the Central Virginia SBDC for formalized business counseling, and the Social Entrepreneur Bootcamp for mission-driven businesses. The organization also facilitates networking events, pitch nights (including the Tom Tom Festival Crowdfunded Pitch Night), and resource fairs to connect entrepreneurs with the broader business community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Central Virginia Small Business Development Center (CV SBDC): A program of CIC providing business advising and counseling services to entrepreneurs throughout Central Virginia.
Products and services
- Entrepreneur Workshop
- Culpeper-Orange Entrepreneur Workshop
- Southern Virginia Entrepreneur Workshop
- Financial Management Program (FMP)
- Mentoring Program
- Microloan Program
- CDFI Financing Programs
- Office Hours
- The Collaborative
- LaunchPad
- Central Virginia Small Business Development Center (CV SBDC)
- Social Entrepreneur Bootcamp
- Small Business Circles (SBC)
Quantifiable outcome
- For every $1 spent by CIC, entrepreneurs generate $7.03 in wages from job creation
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Community Investment Collaborative
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Community Investment Collaborative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Community Investment Collaborative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Central Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC)coreCIC became the fiscal sponsor and host for the Central Virginia SBDC on January 1, 2020. The SBDC is based at CIC's office and provides business advising services. This partnership centralizes entrepreneurial resources for Central Virginia residents.
- Tom Tom FoundationcoreOngoing partnership with Tom Tom Foundation for the annual Crowdfunded Pitch Night event. CIC entrepreneurs compete for crowdfunding and grand prizes at this prominent local startup event.
- Piedmont Housing AllianceminorFellow CDFI in central and western Virginia, part of the national CDFI network promoting economic growth in underserved communities.
- Virginia Community CapitalminorFellow CDFI in Virginia working to promote economic growth in America's underserved communities.
- Staunton Creative Community FundminorFellow CDFI serving the Staunton area in Virginia.
- Foodshed CapitalminorFellow CDFI in Virginia focused on food and agriculture businesses.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Community Investment Collaborative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Foodshed Capital: Virginia-based CDFI focused on food and agriculture businesses serving underserved producers. Same CDFI regulatory model as CIC, with overlapping Virginia footprint and shared network partnerships.
- Virginia Community Capital: Virginia CDFI providing loans and financial services to underserved communities and mission-driven businesses across the state. Same regulatory model and overlapping regional coverage as CIC.
- Piedmont Housing Alliance: Fellow CDFI serving central and western Virginia, working on economic growth in underserved communities. Listed as CDFI network partner to CIC with comparable mission and regional focus.
- Staunton Creative Community Fund: Virginia CDFI serving the Staunton area with small business lending and entrepreneur support. Comparable CDFI-based micro-lending model and geographic proximity to CIC's territory.
Direct peers
- Opportunity Fund (Self-Help Federal Credit Union): Mission-driven CDFI offering small business loans, savings, and education to under-resourced entrepreneurs, now operating as part of Self-Help Credit Union. Direct peer to CIC's CDFI lending + education approach.
- SCORE: Nonprofit partner of the SBA providing free business mentoring, workshops, and education to entrepreneurs nationwide. Comparable nonprofit delivery of free mentorship and educational programming to small business owners.
- Accion Opportunity Fund: Community development financial institution offering small business loans, mentorship, and education to under-resourced entrepreneurs nationwide. Highly comparable CDFI-based lending plus advisory model.
- Justine PETERSEN Housing & Reinvestment Corporation: St. Louis-based CDFI providing small business lending, credit building, and entrepreneur education. Direct peer to CIC's micro-loan + mentoring + workshop model.
- Kiva U.S. Crowdfunded microloan platform offering 0% interest loans to small business owners, with strong focus on under-resourced borrowers. Comparable mission and product structure, though delivered via crowdfunding rather than balance-sheet lending.
- Grameen America: Nonprofit microfinance organization providing small-dollar loans and business support to under-resourced entrepreneurs (primarily women) in the U.S. Direct peer to CIC's micro-lending + education model for underserved populations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Community Investment Collaborative social profiles
Digital presenceCommunity Investment Collaborative compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Community Investment Collaborative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Community Investment Collaborative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Community Investment Collaborative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Community Investment Collaborative M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Community Investment Collaborative
What does Community Investment Collaborative do?
Community Investment Collaborative (CIC) is a Charlottesville, Virginia-based nonprofit that supports under-resourced entrepreneurs through a four-pillar model: education (16-week Entrepreneur Workshops), mentoring (one-on-one advisory and Small Business Circles), financing (CDFI-certified microloans up to $50,000), and networking (community events and pitch nights). The organization also hosts the Central Virginia Small Business Development Center (CV SBDC) and provides coworking, financial coaching, and specialized programs such as LaunchPad and the Social Entrepreneur Bootcamp.
Is Community Investment Collaborative a public or private company?
Community Investment Collaborative is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Community Investment Collaborative founded?
Community Investment Collaborative was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Community Investment Collaborative based?
Community Investment Collaborative is headquartered in Charlottesville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Community Investment Collaborative make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are program Fees, CDFI Lending Operations and government Grants and Partnerships.
Who are Community Investment Collaborative's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Foodshed Capital, Virginia Community Capital, Piedmont Housing Alliance and Staunton Creative Community Fund. Direct peers are Opportunity Fund (Self-Help Federal Credit Union), SCORE, Accion Opportunity Fund, Justine PETERSEN Housing & Reinvestment Corporation, Kiva U.S. and Grameen America.
Does Community Investment Collaborative have an API?
No public API is recorded for Community Investment Collaborative.
What industry is Community Investment Collaborative in?
Community Investment Collaborative's product category is Microfinance and Entrepreneurship Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAFAB, Community Center Education Programs. Its NAICS code is 8139 and its SIC code is 8200.