ICON CDC

What ICON CDC does

ICON CDC (Initiating Change in Our Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 and headquartered in Van Nuys, California, that operates the City of Los Angeles BusinessSource Centers for the North and South San Fernando Valley (South Valley since October 2011; North Valley since 2019). The organization delivers free small business development services — including one-on-one consulting, the 8-week Entrepreneur Training Program (bilingual English/Spanish), the Sidewalk Vending Program with permit assistance, and a micro/small business lending program offering $5,000 to $100,000 loans at rates starting at 7% — to low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs. It runs two physical offices in Van Nuys and Pacoima, supplemented by on-location programming along the Van Nuys Boulevard corridor.

ICON CDC's business model is grant- and contract-funded rather than commercially revenue-generating. Primary funding streams are City of LA EWDD contracts to operate the BusinessSource Centers, federal Congressional Community Project Funding (e.g., $500,000 from Rep. Tony Cárdenas in May 2023), LA County grants (e.g., $140,000 Entrepreneurship Academy Grants in April 2026), private capital (a $1 million revolving loan fund seed from Native First Lending in August 2025), and charitable donations. The organization deploys capital rather than earns it from clients — the $8.5 million "capital infusion" cited for 2024-2025 represents funds available to small businesses in the Valley, not organizational revenue. A 2026-launched Van Nuys Blvd Business Survival Center and $2 million Small Business Success Loan Fund extend the model into corridor-stabilization work tied to Metro construction, wildfires, and immigration enforcement impacts.

The operating footprint covers the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles County, with FY 2022-2023 outcomes of 670 businesses outreached, 54+ businesses launched, 197 jobs created, 248+ loans packaged, and $5.7M+ loans funded, alongside 750+ Entrepreneur Training Program graduates and over 3,100 sidewalk vendors outreached. Roberto Barragan was appointed Executive Director in February 2025. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Fernando Oliveros and supported by a network of banking partners (First Citizens, Wells Fargo, Comerica, American Business Bank, State Bank of India), corporate partners (Kaiser Permanente), and LA city/county government relationships.

Name

ICON CDC

Legal name

Initiating Change in Our Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation

Website

https://iconcdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ICON CDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 that operates the City of LA BusinessSource Centers for the San Fernando Valley, delivering free bilingual business consulting, training, lending ($5K–$100K), and sidewalk vending support to low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs in the region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Inclusion & Consumer Empowerment (Banking Access, Credit Building) (BPAGALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Small business development
• Micro business lending
• Business consulting services
• Entrepreneur training programs
• Community economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Van Nuys

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: ICON CDC operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization primarily funded through government grants and contracts, including City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department funding to operate BusinessSource Centers.
2. Community Project Funding: Federal funding through Congressional Community Project Funding, such as the $500,000 announced by Congressman Tony Cárdenas in May 2023.
3. Loan Program Interest Income: Micro and small business lending program generating interest income from loans ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 at rates starting at 7%.
4. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations supporting economic development in the San Fernando Valley.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

ICON CDC is a nonprofit community development corporation that operates City of Los Angeles BusinessSource Centers in the San Fernando Valley, providing free business consulting, an 8-week Entrepreneur Training Program, technical assistance for sidewalk vendors, and micro/small business loans ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. The organization also runs specialized programs such as the Business Survival Center for businesses impacted by Metro construction and economic disruptions.

Product overview

ICON CDC operates as a community development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected small business support services. The core offerings include the BusinessSource Centers (North and South Valley) providing free business consulting and technical assistance, the Entrepreneur Training Program delivering free 8-week courses in English and Spanish, the Sidewalk Vending Program offering permit assistance and technical guidance, and the Small Business Lending Program providing microloans ($5,000-$50,000) and small business loans ($50,000-$100,000). The recently launched Business Survival Center provides specialized support for businesses impacted by construction and economic disruptions. These services work together to support entrepreneurs from business inception through growth and expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BusinessSource Center: City of Los Angeles BusinessSource Center providing free services to entrepreneurs and small business owners in North and South San Fernando Valley
• Business Survival Center
• Sidewalk Vending Program
• Entrepreneur Training Program
• Small Business Lending Program

Products and services

• BusinessSource Centers Free business consulting, workshops, and technical assistance provided to entrepreneurs and small business owners in North and South San Fernando Valley to promote economic development and job creation.
• Entrepreneur Training Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 670 businesses outreached, 54+ businesses launched, 197 jobs created, 248+ loans packaged, $5.7M+ loans funded (July 2022-June 2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, supportive and minor.

• City of Los AngelescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment funding partner providing grants and contracts for small business development programs including BusinessSource Center operations
• Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner operating the North and South Valley BusinessSource Centers through EWDD contracts
• Los Angeles CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner including Department of Economic Opportunity providing grants such as $140,000 in Entrepreneurship Academy Grants
• North and South Valley BusinessSource CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICON CDC operates these centers under contract with the City of LA to provide free business development services
• Kaiser PermanentesupportiveGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting community economic development initiatives
• Imelda Padilla - Los Angeles Councilmember District 6coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncilmember representing North Valley area, partner for community initiatives and wildfire relief efforts including $25,000 matching contribution
• Monica Rodriguez - Los Angeles Councilmember District 7coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncilmember representing South Valley area, key partner for wildfire relief ($25,000 matching contribution) and small business initiatives
• Capstone StrategiesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic consulting partner for organizational development and policy initiatives
• El Nido Family CenterssupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for Entrepreneur Training Program collaboration, reaching aspiring entrepreneurs through joint programming
• Best StartsupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner collaborating on Entrepreneur Training Program to reach underserved families and entrepreneurs

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Grameen America: National microfinance nonprofit providing small business loans and financial services to low-income entrepreneurs — operates a broader footprint but follows a comparable microloan-plus-support model targeting similar demographics.
• Operation HOPE: National nonprofit providing financial literacy, credit counseling, and small business development services — operates a broader geographic footprint than ICON CDC but offers overlapping programs targeting the same entrepreneur demographics.

Regional players

• Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation: LA-focused business support organization providing small business resources, advocacy, and training — overlapping mission with ICON CDC but serving a broader LA-wide membership rather than a specific Valley sub-region.

Direct peers

• CDC Small Business Finance: California-based CDFI and SBA lender focused on small business lending to underserved communities — comparable lending product mix ($5K-$100K range) and target segments to ICON CDC's Small Business Lending Program.
• Inclusive Action for the City: LA-based nonprofit CDFI offering microloans, small business technical assistance, and entrepreneurship programs to underserved communities — operating a near-identical service model to ICON CDC in overlapping LA geographies.
• Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE): Los Angeles-based community development corporation providing small business development, lending, and workforce services to low-income entrepreneurs — directly comparable to ICON CDC's BusinessSource Center and lending programs in the same LA market.
• Accion Serving Southern California (now Prestamos): CDFI serving Southern California small businesses with loans up to $100K and business advisory services — competing directly with ICON CDC's lending program in the LA metro area.
• AnewAmerica Community Corporation: California-based nonprofit providing microenterprise development, business training, and capital access for immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs — directly comparable to ICON CDC's bilingual entrepreneur training and ITIN lending programs.
• Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation: South LA community development corporation providing small business loans, consulting, and business incubation services — directly comparable mission, funding structure, and target clientele to ICON CDC.
• Lendistry: California-based CDFI providing small business lending and capital access programs targeting underserved entrepreneurs — competing with ICON CDC for the same banking partners and serving overlapping LA-area borrowers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iconcdc
• Facebookfacebook.com/ICONCDC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/initiating-change-in-our-neighborhoods-community-development-corporation-icon-cdc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 ICON CDC