What Woodlands Development & Lending does

Woodlands Development & Lending is a nonprofit community development corporation (CDC) and federally certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) founded in 1995 and headquartered in Elkins, West Virginia. The organization operates through two interrelated divisions: Woodlands Development Group, which executes affordable housing, downtown redevelopment, and community facility real estate projects, and Woodlands Community Lenders, which provides small business loans, commercial real estate loans, microenterprise loans ($5,000-$50,000), and wraparound technical assistance to borrowers across Barbour, Randolph, Tucker, Upshur, Grant, and Pocahontas counties and the broader 10-county Mon Forest Region.

Core products include small business lending, commercial real estate and gap financing, technical assistance and business coaching, housing development (including LEED Platinum sustainable construction), historic rehabilitation leveraging state and federal historic tax credits, downtown redevelopment, and specialized programs such as the Mon Forest Business Initiative and a $500 Spring Forward small business grant. The organization's technology stack is conventional — a community lending platform supported by standard web, email, and social media channels — with differentiated expertise concentrated in complex multi-source project financing rather than proprietary software.

Woodlands earns revenue primarily through three streams: interest income on loans to small businesses and developers, grant funding from federal (USDA Rural Development, ARC, Federal Home Loan Bank), state (WV Housing Development Fund), and private foundation sources (notably the Richard King Mellon Foundation), and facilitation of historic preservation tax credit equity. Its go-to-market is community-led and relationship-based: small business networking meetings, partnerships with local banks and peer CDFIs, referrals, and community events, supplemented by a blog and social media presence. Loan and technical assistance services are delivered at low or no cost to borrowers, with pricing structured as gap financing rather than rate competition, making Woodlands a complement to rather than competitor of conventional banks.

Name

Woodlands Development & Lending

Legal name

Woodlands Development & Lending

Website

https://woodlandswv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nonprofit CDFI and community development corporation operating since 1995 in North Central West Virginia, providing small business loans, gap financing, technical assistance, affordable housing development, and downtown redevelopment across rural Appalachian counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Financial Services (CDFI Lending & Community Development)

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Housing Programs (FSALAKAO), Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Small business loans
• Affordable housing development
• Microenterprise financing
• Downtown redevelopment

Headquarters

HQ city

Elkins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: Woodlands Community Lenders provides loans to small businesses and community development projects. Interest earned on loans to businesses and property developers generates revenue. The organization acts as a complement to local banks, taking on higher-risk investments that traditional lenders may not support.
2. Grant Funding: Primary funding source as a nonprofit CDFI. Receives grants from federal sources (USDA Rural Development, ARC, Federal Home Loan Bank), state sources (WV Housing Development Fund), and private foundations (Richard King Mellon Foundation) to support lending programs and development projects.
3. Historic Preservation Tax Credit Facilitation: Facilitates historic rehabilitation projects that leverage state and federal historic tax credits, generating equity and project financing for downtown redevelopment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Woodlands Development & Lending is a nonprofit CDFI operating since 1995 that provides small business loans (microenterprise loans of $5,000–$50,000 and larger commercial real estate loans), gap financing, recovery loans, and free technical assistance to rural businesses and nonprofits in North Central West Virginia, alongside direct housing development, downtown redevelopment, and community facility projects that combine tax credit equity, bank co-lending, and federal/state grants.

Product overview

Woodlands Development & Lending is a non-profit community development financial institution (CDFI) operating since 1995 that offers two interconnected divisions: Woodlands Development Group handles housing development, community facilities, and downtown redevelopment, while Woodlands Community Lenders provides small business loans, commercial real estate loans, technical assistance, and specialized programs like the Mon Forest Business Initiative. The organization serves Barbour, Randolph, Tucker, and surrounding counties in North Central West Virginia, functioning as a complement to traditional banking by providing access to capital and technical assistance for underserved communities and businesses that may not qualify for conventional financing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Woodlands Development Group: Housing, community facilities, and real estate development division focused on sustainable, affordable housing and economic initiatives
• Woodlands Community Lenders
• Mon Forest Towns Partnership
• Mon Forest Business Initiative

Products and services

• Small Business Loans Loan products supporting small business startups and expansion, sized $5,000–$50,000 for microenterprise borrowers, targeted at for-profit businesses in Barbour, Randolph, Tucker, and surrounding counties that lack access to traditional bank financing.
• Commercial Real Estate Loans Financing for commercial property acquisition, construction, and rehabilitation, often used for projects that include housing units on upper floors or support downtown redevelopment. Combines flexible CDFI underwriting with bank partner co-lending.
• Relief and Recovery Loans Emergency financing for businesses recovering from unexpected challenges such as natural disasters or economic disruptions.
• Technical Assistance Advisory services including business coaching, business plan development, financial projections, marketing and branding support, and guidance through the loan application process, provided at no cost to small business clients.
• Housing Development Development of sustainable, affordable housing including single-family homes, multi-family apartments, workforce housing, and senior housing across North Central West Virginia, incorporating green building practices and LEED Platinum design.
• Community Facilities Development Development of community assets such as parks, trails, and community centers that serve local residents and support community vitality in North Central West Virginia.
• Downtown Redevelopment Revitalization of town centers through historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects, making downtowns more attractive to businesses, residents, and tourists.
• Mon Forest Business Initiative A specialized program providing grants, loans, and technical assistance to strengthen the outdoor recreation economy in Monongahela National Forest gateway communities, supporting businesses such as outdoor outfitters and trail builders.
• Community Planning & Advocacy Strategic planning services and advocacy work helping communities achieve their development goals and become sustainable communities for all residents, often delivered through community roundtables and collaborative planning.
• Gap Financing Flexible financing that completes capital stacks for complex housing and development projects by absorbing risky portions traditional banks cannot finance, often paired with bank senior debt and tax credit equity.
• Small Artist Loan Specialized loan product supporting artists in turning their craft into successful businesses, paired with the Paint it Black seminar series covering copyright, contracts, taxes, branding, and content strategy.

Quantifiable outcome

• $3.5M in community development loans distributed
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area (AFNHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Lost Towns of the Mon art project at Tygart Hotel, providing funding to commission artwork from WV artists depicting five ghost towns in Monongahela National Forest.
• Belington Revitalization CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community organization that identified Golden Rule restoration as top priority. Partnered with Woodlands to fund stabilization, National Register listing, and rehabilitation of the historic building for mixed-use redevelopment.
• Taylor HospitalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional hospitality management company based in Lexington, VA preparing to operate Tygart Hotel upon completion. CEO Sean Taylor stated they will 'market the town' as part of broader community economic development strategy.
• City of ElkinscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner in housing development projects including Firefly Commons and River Street infill development. Provided support for property acquisition and project financing.
• WV Small Business Development Center (WV SBDC)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerState business development resource providing critical business coaching and technical assistance to rural entrepreneurs like Nicole Coe at Coe's Country Store.
• Mills GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject architect firm from Morgantown responsible for Tygart Hotel rehabilitation design, presenting plans and seeking community feedback on interior design.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI and community development intermediary active across rural and urban markets. Comparable mission in affordable housing and small-business support, with much broader scale, program offerings, and capital base.
• Habitat for Humanity: National affordable housing developer with local affiliates building and rehabbing homes for low-income buyers. Overlapping focus on housing development and community revitalization in underserved rural markets, though without Woodlands' integrated CDFI lending capability.
• NeighborWorks America: National network of 250+ affordable housing and community development nonprofits. Directly comparable in housing development, lending, and community revitalization activities but with national scale and federal programmatic backing.

Direct peers

• Fahe: Berea, KY-based CDFI network providing mortgage and community lending across WV and the broader Appalachian region. Directly comparable as a multi-state Appalachian CDFI; in fact a current coalition partner on Tygart Hotel financing and recent ($328K, Nov 2025) capital provider.
• Appalachian Community Capital: Washington, D.C.-based CDFI focused on small-business lending in underserved Appalachian communities. Tygart Hotel coalition partner; directly comparable mission of deploying patient capital to rural Appalachian SMBs.
• Partner Community Capital: CDFI based in Charles Town, WV focused on central Appalachia and a Tygart Hotel financing partner. Closely comparable as a WV-rooted CDFI providing higher-risk leveraged loan components and New Markets Tax Credit expertise to community development projects.
• Natural Capital Investment Fund: CDFI lending to rural and natural-resource-dependent businesses across Appalachia and the Southeast. Comparable focus on microenterprise, outdoor recreation, and agriculture lending in distressed rural markets, with similar deal-size ranges.

Emerging players

• Invest Appalachia: Regional impact-investment platform that launched a $19M fund (Feb 2023) targeting creative placemaking, community health, food/agriculture, and clean energy across Appalachia. Woodlands' Loan Fund Manager sits on the IA board, evidencing deep operational overlap.

Regional players

• Davis Trust Company: Local Elkins bank and active Woodlands partner on historic tax credit and project financing. Comparable customer base in North Central WV; partial overlap in commercial lending, though not a CDFI and lacks Woodlands' development arm.
• Mountain Valley Bank: Elkins-based community bank serving the same North Central WV counties as Woodlands. Comparable in customer base and territory; partners with Woodlands on project financing but competes for some commercial loan relationships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WDG.WCL
• Instagraminstagram.com/woodlandswv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Woodlands Development & Lending