NC01 Stories and Data

NC01 Stories

Nourish Up
Raleigh Rescue Mission
OFN Story: North Carolina CDFI Brings Tourism and Jobs to Local Community
Tavares James

NC01 Fact Sheet

CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions) are essential for ensuring access to capital in underserved communities. These institutions are not just important; they are vital to the small business ecosystem and represent significant assets for our local and national economies. By supporting underserved entrepreneurs, we actively create opportunities for all and empower individuals to achieve the American dream of growth and prosperity.

-Manuel Campbell, ASPIRE Community Capital, Charlotte, NC

Small businesses are the backbone of Main Streets across America, creating jobs, driving economic growth, and keeping communities strong. Yet, many small business owners-especially in rural areas and underserved markets- struggle to access the financing they need to start and grow. Traditional banks often overlook smaller-dollar loans, but CDFIs step in to fill that gap, providing the sub-$100K loans that small businesses rely on for working capital, equipment, and expansion. At LoanWell, we work with CDFIs to help them originate and deploy more small business loans efficiently, ensuring that capital reaches the local entrepreneurs who keep storefronts open, job opportunities growing, and communities thriving. More than 90% of CDFI small business loans are under $100K, making them one of the few reliable sources of funding for businesses that are too small for traditional banks but too big to rely on personal savings alone. The CDFI Fund is critical to making this lending possible, ensuring that CDFIs have the resources to meet the demand for responsible, small-dollar financing.

-Justin Straight, LoanWell, Inc., Durham, NC

CDFIs provide affordable capital to borrowers that may not be able to access credit from mainstream financial institutions. Unlike other non-bank options, CDFI loans are affordable and transparent. And CDFIs take a holistic approach, prioritizing the wellbeing of individual clients and the borrowers that live within them.

-Adam Safer, Carolina Small Business Development Fund, Raleigh, NC

Map of NC01 CDFI Branches and Stories