Hebrew Free Loan of Austin

What Hebrew Free Loan of Austin does

Hebrew Free Loan of Austin (HFLA) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2011 by Dr. Michael Rotman and Tracy Solomon that provides interest-free loans to members of the Austin Jewish community in Travis, Williamson, and Hays Counties, Texas. Since inception, HFLA has disbursed over 280 loans totaling more than $1.4 million with a reported 98.6% repayment rate, currently circulating over $470,000 in active loans and holding over $700,000 in total assets. The portfolio includes general interest-free loans (average size $5,800, typically 24-month repayment), Mental Health/Disability/Inclusion loans (up to $10,000), Growing Family/Fertility loans, Education loans (up to $20,000), and Small Business loans (up to $20,000), supplemented by the Jewish Austin Business Directory listing service ($360/year).

HFLA operates with a small paid staff (Executive Director, Operations Coordinator, Bookkeeper) supported by a volunteer board of directors and loan committee, with no proprietary technology beyond a WordPress website and standard social media channels. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, referrals from Jewish communal organizations (Shalom Austin, Jewish Family Services, Congregation Agudas Achim), testimonials from past borrowers, and the annual Joe Krassner Memorial Poker Tournament (raising $30K+/year). The organization is a member of the International Association of Jewish Free Loans (IAJFL) and operates under a biblical mandate prohibiting interest among community members.

Revenue is generated through individual donations, foundation grants (Shalom Austin, Rubinett Family Foundation, Austin Jewish Community Foundation), named loan funds (minimum $3,600 initial gift), monthly recurring donations (Monthly Mitzvah Makers), recycled loan repayments, and Business Directory memberships. Loan demand grew 150% in 2025, which the organization addressed by reducing maximum loan sizes to serve more borrowers within its capital constraints. HFLA has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

Hebrew Free Loan of Austin

Legal name

Hebrew Free Loan of Austin

Website

https://hebrewfreeloanofaustin.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hebrew Free Loan of Austin is a 501c3 nonprofit providing interest-free loans to members of the Austin Jewish community across Travis, Williamson, and Hays Counties, with over $1.4M disbursed across 280+ loans since 2011 and a 98.6% repayment rate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Lending

NAICS

Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)

Keywords

• Interest-free lending
• Community microfinance
• Nonprofit charitable loans
• Jewish community lending
• Revolving loan fund

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: HFLA operates as a 501c3 nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations from individuals, families, and organizations. Donors contribute directly to support the interest-free loan fund.
2. Foundation and Grant Funding: Receives grants from foundations including Shalom Austin, Rubinett Family Foundation, and other Jewish communal organizations to support loan programs and specific initiatives.
3. Loan Repayment Recycling: When borrowers repay their interest-free loans, the funds are recycled back into the loan pool to fund new loans, creating a perpetual lending cycle that multiplies the impact of each dollar donated.
4. Business Directory Membership: Businesses listed in the Jewish Austin Business Directory are expected to provide a $360/year donation for the listing service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hebrew Free Loan of Austin is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides interest-free loans to Jewish individuals, families, households, and small business owners in the greater Austin area (Travis, Williamson, and Hays Counties). Loan products cover general financial needs, mental health/disability/inclusion, growing families (fertility, adoption, surrogacy), education, and small business support, with repaid funds recycled to make new loans.

Product overview

Hebrew Free Loan of Austin (HFLA) is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interest-free loan products rooted in Jewish tradition. The core offerings include general interest-free loans, mental health/disability/inclusion loans (up to $10,000), growing family loans (fertility, adoption, surrogacy), education loans (up to $20,000), and small business loans (up to $20,000). These products share a common revolving fund model where repaid loans are recycled to fund new loans. Supporting offerings include the Jewish Austin Business Directory (a community business listing), the Monthly Mitzvah Makers recurring donation program, and Eternal Impact Named Funds for legacy giving. The organization operates under a biblical mandate prohibiting interest charging among community members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interest-Free General Loans

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 280 loans disbursed totaling more than $1.4 million since 2011
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Shalom AustincoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Shalom Austin provided a generous grant to fund HFLA's new Mental Health, Disability, and Inclusion loan program offering up to $10,000 in interest-free loans. HFLA is hosted at the Epstein Family Community Hall at Shalom Austin for events.
• Congregation Agudas AchimminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Passover partnership where CAA members could add donations to their Kosher for Passover meal orders benefiting HFLA, or request HFLA financial assistance through their order. Collaborative effort connecting HFLA services with synagogue community.
• International Association of Jewish Free Loans (IAJFL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHFLA is a member of IAJFL, a network of interest-free lending agencies around the world. IAJFL facilitated the $3.4M aid effort for Israel including Ogen loan participation. IAJFL provides accreditation and connects member agencies for shared learning and emergency response coordination.
• Jewish Family ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferred Heidi and Robbie Kandalis to HFLA when they experienced health issues requiring multiple surgeries. One of several referral partners connecting community members with HFLA services.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Kiva: Large nonprofit microlending platform enabling crowdfunded interest-free loans to underserved borrowers globally. Comparable in the interest-free lending model and nonprofit mission, but operates as a marketplace/aggregator rather than a single community's lender like HFLA Austin.
• Grameen America: U.S. microfinance nonprofit offering small loans to low-income women entrepreneurs. Comparable in the nonprofit microloan model and community-based lending approach, though serves a different demographic and geographic mandate than HFLA Austin's Jewish-community focus.

Direct peers

• Hebrew Free Loan of Detroit: Detroit-area IAJFL-member Hebrew Free Loan society offering interest-free community lending on the same model as HFLA Austin. Direct peer in product offerings, structure, and mission focus.
• Hebrew Free Loan of Los Angeles: Direct peer — Los Angeles-based IAJFL-member Hebrew Free Loan society offering interest-free loans across multiple product categories (education, small business, personal) to the LA Jewish community on the same revolving-fund model as HFLA Austin.
• Hebrew Free Loan Society of San Francisco: San Francisco-based IAJFL-member peer operating the same interest-free community lending model in another major metro Jewish community. Directly comparable in product offerings (small business, education, personal loans) and nonprofit structure to HFLA Austin.
• Jewish Free Loan Chicago: Chicago-area IAJFL-member peer offering interest-free loans to the Chicago Jewish community on the same revolving-fund model as HFLA Austin. Direct functional and structural peer operating at slightly larger scale.
• Hebrew Free Loan Society (New York): The largest and oldest Hebrew Free Loan society in the U.S., founded in 1892. Directly comparable to HFLA Austin — same interest-free lending model, same community-nonprofit structure, same IAJFL network membership, but operating at significantly larger scale in a much bigger Jewish population.
• Hebrew Free Loan Association of Houston: Houston-based Hebrew Free Loan society whose involvement inspired HFLA Austin co-founder Tracy Solomon. Operates the same interest-free community lending model in another large Texas Jewish community, making it the closest geographic peer.
• Ogen (formerly Hebrew Free Loan of Greater Philadelphia): A former sibling Hebrew Free Loan society that rebranded as Ogen and now operates as a broader nonprofit lender including Israel-focused capital deployment. Direct peer in mission and structure to HFLA Austin, with comparable interest-free lending to individuals and small businesses.

Others

• International Association of Jewish Free Loans (IAJFL): Umbrella network of which HFLA Austin is a member. Provides accreditation, shared learning, and emergency-response coordination (e.g., the $3.4M Israel aid effort). Comparable as an ecosystem-level peer rather than a direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hebrewfreeloanaustin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 of Austin