What Scale Link does

Scale Link is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (legally Great Rivers Community Trust dba Scale Link) that operates the first and only secondary market in the United States for Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)-originated small business microloans under $100,000. Founded in 2020 and managed by Revolve Asset Management, Scale Link purchases loans from CDFIs at net present value, aggregates them across geographies and partner institutions, and resells the bundled packages to FDIC-insured banks seeking Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) credit. Banks simultaneously make donations to Scale Link, the majority of which are passed back to the originating CDFI as unrestricted capital, with a minimum donation of $15,000 per transaction.

The underlying platform standardizes loan participation documentation through a master participation agreement with each CDFI (non-recourse, with CDFIs retaining servicing) and assigns participation certificates to bank buyers. Loan packages are risk-assessed using PayNet's AbsolutePD third-party scoring. Scale Link complements the transactional platform with a CDFI Growth Partnership offering technical assistance and a defined pathway to Preferred partner status for CDFIs producing 50+ microloans annually. Operations are intentionally lean with no direct staff; the Charlotte Small Business Growth Fund (CSBGF) was added in 2023 as a managed subsidiary.

Scale Link's revenue model combines the spread between loan purchase and sale prices with concurrent bank donations and philanthropic grants from funders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Citi Foundation, Microsoft, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Wells Fargo, Truist, Woodforest, and Colorado Health Foundation. Between December 2020 and June 2024 the platform provided $75 million in capital to CDFI partners, sold $42 million to bank partners, purchased 4,500 loans, and returned over $6 million to CDFIs as new revenue and unrestricted funds. As of April 2025, co-founder Jonathan Brereton succeeded founding CEO Brett Simmons.

Name

Scale Link

Legal name

Great Rivers Community Trust dba Scale Link

Website

https://scalelink.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Scale Link is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the US's first secondary market for CDFI-originated small business microloans, bundling and reselling loans under $100,000 to banks for CRA credit and routing most bank donations back to originating CDFIs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Finance

NAICS

Other Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (522390)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance) (BPAGALAA)

Keywords

• CDFI microloans
• Secondary loan market
• CRA compliance lending
• Community development finance
• Small business lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Not publicly disclosed

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Loan Purchase Revenue: Scale Link purchases CDFI loans at net present value, holding them in portfolio until a bank is ready to purchase. Banks pay Scale Link for these loan participations. The spread between purchase price and sale price generates revenue, with a portion returned to CDFIs as new revenue.
2. Bank Donations: Banks make concurrent donations to Scale Link alongside loan purchases. The majority of these donations are conveyed back to the originating CDFI partner. This supports Scale Link's operating costs and provides unrestricted capital to CDFIs. Minimum donation size is $15,000.
3. Grants and Funder Support: Scale Link receives grant funding from foundations and corporate funders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Citi Foundation, Microsoft, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and others. This supports organizational operations and expansion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Scale Link operates a centralized secondary market that purchases microloans (under $100,000) from Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) at net present value, bundles and aggregates them across geographies, and sells the pooled loan packages to FDIC-insured banks for Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) credit. Banks also make concurrent donations to Scale Link, the majority of which are routed back to the originating CDFI, providing unrestricted capital alongside the liquidity.

Product overview

Scale Link operates a single unified platform serving as a secondary market for CDFI-originated small business microloans. The core offering combines loan purchasing (buying loans from CDFIs at net present value), loan bundling and packaging (aggregating loans across markets for banks), and a concurrent donation program (routing funds back to CDFIs). Scale Link does not offer modular add-ons; its integrated service model combines liquidity provision, loan transaction management, CRA compliance support, and technical assistance to CDFIs in one platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CDFI Loan Secondary Market A secondary market platform that purchases microloans from certified CDFIs at net present value, aggregates and standardizes them into custom packages, and sells the pools to FDIC-insured banks to satisfy CRA lending test requirements. CDFIs retain loan servicing and collections; Scale Link provides banks with vetted, CRA-aligned loan participations.
• CDFI Capital Donation Program

Quantifiable outcome

• $75 million in capital provided to CDFI partners; $42 million sold to bank partners; 4,500 loans purchased; $6 million donated back to CDFIs; 740+ entrepreneurs supported through Western Alliance alone

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core bank partner, core cdfi partner, growth partner, cdfi partner, core operational partner and technology partner.

• Byline Bankcore bank partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBank partner purchasing CDFI-originated microloans through Scale Link for CRA credit. Byline Bank sought reliable CRA impact planning and support for LMI entrepreneurs in their assessment areas.
• First Eagle Bankcore bank partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChicago area community bank purchasing microloans through Scale Link to direct new capital to CDFIs and small businesses in their community.
• Minnesota Bank & Trustcore bank partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBank partner using Scale Link's secondary market to assist WomenVenture and increase capital flow to LMI entrepreneurs and business owners.
• Coastal States Bankcore bank partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCoastal States Bank partners with Scale Link to empower entrepreneurs and drive positive change to small businesses through CRA-aligned microloan purchases.
• Western Alliance Bankcore bank partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWestern Alliance Bank has partnered with Scale Link since 2021, supporting over 740 small business and LMI entrepreneurs through CDFI loan purchases.
• MVB Bankcore bank partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMVB Bank partners with Scale Link to support small businesses with access to critical capital resources, using Scale Link's CDFI relationships and loan-level data for risk assessment.
• First Bankcore bank partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFirst Bank partnered with Scale Link in response to expansion of their assessment area into Florida, to extend reach to entrepreneurs and small businesses.
• Leaders Bankcore bank partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChicago area community bank searching for microloans to help small businesses in their service area through Scale Link's secondary market.
• Fortis Bankcore bank partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFortis Bank partnered with Scale Link since September 2022, purchasing over $2M in loans supporting 162+ small businesses in Colorado. Fortis has provided nearly $500,000 in additional donations to Scale Link and its CDFI partners.
• Working Solutions CDFIcore cdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner since 2020. Scale Link has provided $3.4M of capital and $390,000 of unrestricted funds to help Working Solutions support more borrowers like El Tiny Café in Berkeley, CA.
• LiftFundcore cdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner since 2020. Scale Link has provided $3.4M of capital and $400,000 of unrestricted funds to help LiftFund support borrowers like Kosmo Nail & Hair Salon in Corpus Christi, TX. LiftFund operates across a thirteen-state footprint.
• Justine Petersencore cdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner since 2020. Scale Link has provided $3.6M of capital and $35,000 of unrestricted funds to help Justine Petersen support borrowers like EyeSeeMe African American Children's Bookstore in University City, MO.
• DreamSpringcore cdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner. DreamSpring partnered with Scale Link, gaining the ability to leverage existing portfolio and recirculate capital to help more underserved borrowers. Supported by Fortis Bank transactions.
• Accion Opportunity Fundcore cdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner with a mission to support women, immigrants, low-income entrepreneurs and people of color. Partnered with Scale Link to strengthen capacity and support small businesses across their footprint.
• Ascenduscore cdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner. Ascendus CEO described Scale Link as addressing the triple challenges of liquidity, credit risk and sustainability during and after the pandemic.
• Foodshed Capitalgrowth partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelatively new and small CDFI partner focused on underserved farmers and food entrepreneurs. Scale Link's service has made a significant impact on their balance sheet strength, providing a unique offering no one else offers for CDFIs like theirs.
• CEDS Financecdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner supported through Fortis Bank transactions. CEDS Finance serves small businesses and LMI communities.
• Revolve Asset Management (RAM)core operational partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRAM is the financial consulting firm that founded Scale Link in 2020 and now manages it. RAM creates sustainable collaborations between banks and CDFIs with the express purpose of expanding access to small business capital. RAM also manages the Charlotte Small Business Growth Fund (CSBGF) subsidiary.
• PayNet (Experian)technology partnerTechnology or IntegrationScale Link uses PayNet's AbsolutePD third-party risk scoring score for loan package risk assessment, utilizing industry best practices to assess credit risk for bank partners.
• Allies for Community Businesscdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner serving neighborhood entrepreneurs in the Chicagoland area. Through creative partnerships, they provide capital and coaching to underserved small business owners.
• Bridging Virginiacdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner whose CEO described Scale Link as bringing innovation that creates new pathways for them to sustain and scale their mission, providing access to flexible capital essential for serving historically excluded small businesses.
• Main Street Launchcdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner listed as a partner on Scale Link's website, focused on supporting small businesses in their community.
• Women Venturecdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner supported through Minnesota Bank & Trust partnership. Women Venture supports women entrepreneurs and was assisted through Scale Link's secondary market.
• Raza Development Fundcdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner that has worked with Scale Link. RDF team expressed interest in potential future collaboration on transactions.
• TMC Community Capitalcdfi partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI partner that found Scale Link's service made the loan sale process much easier with quicker turnaround times than most financial institutions can manage.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Kiva: Kiva is a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that enables crowdfunded microloans to underserved borrowers, including small businesses. While Kiva focuses on individual lenders rather than bank CRA buyers, it shares Scale Link's focus on financial inclusion and microloan provision.
• Grameen America: Grameen America is a nonprofit microfinance organization providing small loans to entrepreneurs in low-income communities. It operates as a CDFI lender at the borrower end of the chain that Scale Link's secondary market serves.
• Accion Opportunity Fund: Accion Opportunity Fund is a CDFI partner of Scale Link that originates small business loans to underserved entrepreneurs. It represents the upstream lender side of Scale Link's ecosystem and a likely future seller into the secondary market.

Broad incumbents

• LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation): LISC is one of the largest CDFIs in the US, providing capital, capacity, and advocacy to community development organizations. While it operates its own lending programs, LISC also helps channel bank capital to local CDFIs — overlapping with Scale Link's intermediary role.
• Calvert Impact Capital: Calvert Impact Capital is a nonprofit impact investing intermediary that raises capital from investors and lends to organizations serving underserved communities. It overlaps with Scale Link in channeling mission-aligned capital to CDFIs and community lenders.
• Beneficial State Bank: Beneficial State Bank is a mission-driven, B-Corp-certified bank focused on serving underserved communities and driving CRA-aligned lending. It represents the bank-buyer archetype of Scale Link's customer base and a credible alternative for banks considering direct CDFI lending instead of secondary market purchases.
• Opportunity Finance Network: OFN is the leading national association of CDFIs and serves as a backbone intermediary connecting CDFIs with capital, policy, and partners. While not a transaction platform, OFN operates in the same CDFI-bank intermediation space and represents a potential alternative channel for the same flows.
• Nonprofit Finance Fund: NFF is a nonprofit CDFI and consulting organization that provides capital, consulting, and advocacy for nonprofits and CDFIs. It shares Scale Link's mission of building community development financial infrastructure and supports many of the same CDFI partners.

Direct peers

• Revolve Asset Management: Revolve Asset Management is the financial consulting firm that founded Scale Link in 2020 and continues to manage it. RAM creates sustainable collaborations between banks and CDFIs, making it the closest operational analog and effectively the parent operating entity of Scale Link.

Others

• CDFI Fund (US Department of the Treasury): The CDFI Fund is the federal government program that certifies CDFIs and provides grant and loan capital to them. While not a transactional peer, it underpins the entire regulatory and capital framework on which Scale Link's CDFI partners and the broader secondary market depend.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Scale Link