MN03 Stories and Data

MN03 Stories

Minnesota Entrepreneur Grows Childcare Business with Help of Local CDFIs
Angel Rogers is known by her family and friends as responsible, caring, and a good listener. However, Angel’s journey to entrepreneurship has not been easy. Growing up, Angel spent time in foster care, she had her first daughter and got her own apartment at 16, and at 18 she gained full custody of her younger brother and sister.
Braiding Business and Belief
Timely loan weaves a solution to keep St. Cloud salon owner’s business buzzing
Eagles Healing Nest
Aaron Starrett was 18 years old in 2009 when he left his hometown of Austin, Texas, for four years in the Air Force. He served as a munitions specialist in Korea and Germany, helping prepare aircraft with heavy explosives before leaving the military in 2014.
Viva Long Prairie
Opening Viva meant overcoming big hurdles—including financing a major renovation of a century-old building. But Perez stayed true to his approach, chasing solutions until he secured a state revitalization grant and loan support from the Initiative Foundation.

Map of MN03 CDFI Branches and Stories

Thank you to our partners at Inclusive and CDBA for sharing data on CDFI Bank and CDFI Credit Union branch locations. In addition, about 100 of our CDFI Stories come from OFN’s story database.

MN03 Investment Map

CDFI Investment Map

Mapped CDFI investment data (2005-2023), via the CDFI Coalition's partnership with CDFI Friendly America.

CDFI Advocacy App

Want more state data? Check out CDFI Friendly America's mobile-friendly CDFI Advocacy App for impacts from 2005-2023.

MN03 Fact Sheet

Testimonials

CDFIS help nonprofit organizations in my community.

Peter Berrie, Faegre Drinker, Minneapolis, MN

CDFI funds are frequently the only source of funding and lending available to small, scaled community-oriented development in Minneapolis. Without access to those opportunities companies like mine would not be able to accomplish our development goals and create mid-scale projects related to the arts and market rate affordable housing.

Colin Ryan Oglesbay, D/O Architects, Saint Paul, MN

I am a real estate broker and development consultant working with emerging developers, small businesses and nonprofits. Many of my clients cannot finance their projects with traditional debt and equity because they don’t come from generational wealth and because their projects are more challenging because they are in markets that are not achieving their full potential yet or meeting critical community needs that don’t produce quite as much profit. CDFI lending has stepped in the gap to solve dozens of critical projects that just need a little boost to get to the finish line, and CDFIs are critical partners to Platform’s work.

Renee Spillum, Platform Commercial Real Estate, SBC, Saint Paul, MN

We have been able to utilize NMTC and without this financing many of the projects we have done in Minneapolis would not have been possible. It’s been a wonderful facility to support small businesses, economic development, and critical services to low-income communities. Please continue these programs, they do make a difference.

Joshua Howe, Optimistic Partners, Saint Paul, MN