The Dearfield Fund
The Dearfield Fund is a Denver-based concessionary private equity fund, founded 2021, that provides up to $50,000 in interest-free, recyclable down-payment assistance loans to first-time Black homebuyers in the Denver metro area, recovering principal plus 5% of appreciation at sale or refinance.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Dearfield Fund does
The Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth, LP (commonly The Dearfield Fund) is a Denver-based concessionary private equity impact fund founded in 2021 and incubated by Gary Community Ventures. It provides up to $50,000 in interest-free down-payment assistance to first-time Black homebuyers in the Denver metropolitan area who have the income and credit to qualify for a conventional mortgage but lack the cash for a down payment. Rather than functioning as a grant, the assistance takes the legal form of a loan with no monthly payments and no interest; when the borrower sells or refinances, the fund recaptures the original principal plus 5% of the home's appreciation, allowing the capital to be recycled into subsequent loans — a pay-it-forward architecture that enables a single pool of concessionary capital to serve multiple homeowners over time.
The fund's product surface is narrow but vertically integrated: a single core down-payment assistance program, a non-AI Wealth Calculator web tool that estimates 10-year appreciation and wealth-building outcomes, and wraparound services (onboarding, financial coaching, succession-planning education, community convenings) designed to improve post-close retention. Distribution runs exclusively through approved lender partners — FirstBank and Elevations Credit Union were the first to sign up — and the fund is supported by a coalition of institutional impact investors including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ($2.5M), JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Gates Family Foundation, and The Denver Foundation. Capital recycling economics, rather than interest or fee income, define the underlying revenue mechanics; the organization does not publicly disclose revenue.
Operationally the fund is small (1–10 employees) and led by Managing Director Aisha T. Weeks, who joined in June 2022. By June 2024 it had closed on 190+ homes in the Denver area, deployed $7.5M in direct down-payment assistance with an average assistance of $37,615 per borrower, and unlocked an estimated $56M in adjacent private mortgage lending to the Black community. It has been recognized with the 2023 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability and inclusion in the 2024 Transformation 25. Its go-to-market combines lender-channel distribution with community-led outreach, conference participation, and earned media, reflecting a sales-led-plus-community-led hybrid motion.
The Dearfield Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Dearfield Fund
- Legal name
- The Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth, LP
- Website
- https://dearfieldfund.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Dearfield Fund is a Denver-based concessionary private equity fund, founded 2021, that provides up to $50,000 in interest-free, recyclable down-payment assistance loans to first-time Black homebuyers in the Denver metro area, recovering principal plus 5% of appreciation at sale or refinance.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where The Dearfield Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Dearfield Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Down-Payment Assistance Loan Repayments: The Dearfield Fund provides down-payment assistance as an interest-free loan. Homeowners repay the original down-payment amount plus 5% of their home's appreciation when they sell or refinance. This returned capital is reinvested to support future homebuyers, creating a sustainable pay-it-forward model.
- Impact Investment Capital: The fund is supported by private investments from impact investors, philanthropists, and asset allocators who provide capital to deploy as down-payment assistance to first-time Black homeowners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Down-Payment Assistance - Up to $50,000 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Dearfield Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Dearfield Fund provides up to $50,000 in interest-free down-payment assistance loans to first-time Black homebuyers in the Denver metro area who face systemic barriers to homeownership. Borrowers repay the original down-payment amount plus 5% of their home's appreciation when they sell or refinance, and the returned capital is redeployed to support future homebuyers, creating a sustainable pay-it-forward cycle. The fund also offers a wealth-building calculator and wraparound homeowner support services including onboarding, financial coaching, and community convenings.
Product overview
The Dearfield Fund operates as a single core product offering: a down-payment assistance program providing up to $50,000 in interest-free loans to first-time Black homebuyers in the Denver metro area. The program includes an embedded Wealth Calculator tool for prospective applicants to estimate their wealth-building potential. The fund also provides Wraparound Support Services including onboarding, financial coaching, and community-building convenings to support homeowners throughout their journey.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Down-Payment Assistance Program Interest-free loan of up to $50,000 (or 15% of home value, whichever is less) for first-time Black homebuyers who have faced systemic barriers to homeownership in the Denver metro area. Borrower contributes a minimum 3% of the home price, no monthly payments are required, and the loan is repaid as the original principal plus 5% of the home's appreciation upon sale or refinance, allowing the fund to recycle capital to future homeowners.
- Wraparound Homeowner Support Services Post-close support services for Dearfield Fund homeowners that include a formalized onboarding and welcome process, financial coaching, succession planning education, insurance guidance, and homeowner community convenings, designed to help Black families sustain homeownership and build long-term wealth.
Quantifiable outcome
- $37,615 average down-payment assistance deployed per homeowner
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Dearfield Fund
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Dearfield Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Dearfield Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- FirstBankcoreFirstBank is one of the first lending partners to sign up with the Dearfield Fund, offering Dearfield's down-payment assistance to their mortgage clients. Also partners through their Providing Access to Homeownership (PATH) fund specifically for Black first-time homebuyers.
- Elevations Credit UnioncoreElevations Credit Union was one of the first lenders to sign up to offer the Dearfield Fund to their mortgage clients, helping Black families access down-payment assistance.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Dearfield Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Customer concentration
The Dearfield Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Dearfield Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Dearfield Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Dearfield Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Dearfield Fund
What does The Dearfield Fund do?
The Dearfield Fund provides up to $50,000 in interest-free down-payment assistance loans to first-time Black homebuyers in the Denver metro area who face systemic barriers to homeownership. Borrowers repay the original down-payment amount plus 5% of their home's appreciation when they sell or refinance, and the returned capital is redeployed to support future homebuyers, creating a sustainable pay-it-forward cycle. The fund also offers a wealth-building calculator and wraparound homeowner support services including onboarding, financial coaching, and community convenings.
Is The Dearfield Fund a public or private company?
The Dearfield Fund is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was The Dearfield Fund founded?
The Dearfield Fund was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Dearfield Fund based?
The Dearfield Fund is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Dearfield Fund make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Down-Payment Assistance Loan Repayments are the primary driver. The others are impact Investment Capital.
Does The Dearfield Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Dearfield Fund.