Sustainable Communities Fund
BCL of Texas borrower Finca Haiti entrepreneurs Grameen America entrepreneur

Investing to Empower
People and Communities

SCF invests in mission-aligned projects and organizations that strive to create more inclusive and equitable communities

BCL of Texas

SCF invested $350,000 to help BCL launch and grow its Diversity Loan Fund. This fund lends to "growth businesses" operated by underserved and undercapitalized groups—women and minorities. This fund offers borrowers flexible underwriting standards so these entrepreneurs can grow their small business located in Texas. SCF’s funds target to serve earlier-stage businesses to ensure that start-up businesses have the opportunity to grow, despite limited available capital for these borrowers in the market.

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Finca Haiti

SCF invested $37,000 to provide microfinance loans to small businesses to support Haiti’s post-2010 earthquake recovery efforts and to address its status as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Loans were issued to individual women entrepreneurs or uniquely to “village banking groups” of up to a dozen women whose loans are tied together. Given Finca Haiti’s average loan sizes of $170, it is estimated that SCF’s capital funded over 215 loans.

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Grameen America Inc.

SCF invested $350,000 in the Grameen America Social Business Fund (GASBF), Grameen’s first microloan fund created to significantly expand the provision of group loans to low income, female small business owners across the U.S. Through the duration of the Fund’s lifespan, from 2019 through 2022, SCF’s $350K investment supported +$5M in end-user loans disbursed in +1,300 loans, achieving a ~14.5x capital rotation.

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Sustainable Communities Fund

SCF began its operations as a foundation in 2011. It was born out of a mission-centered economic development company, National New Markets Fund.

SCF operates as a revolving investment fund to achieve our poverty alleviation mission. Primarily we support financial inclusion strategies that are seeking to build more equitable access to capital resources for underserved and low-income communities… Read More

Mission & Investment Focus

SCF’s mission is to alleviate poverty by supporting financial, economic and social inclusion strategies that empower low-income people and strengthen communities.

Alleviate Poverty

Financial Inclusion

Business Development

Affordable Housing

Our Unique Priorities

Innovation
Capital

We seek to fund unique and new models that address poverty

CDFI
Certified

Certified since 2019, we remain focused on supporting CDFIs and their target communities

Technical
Assistance

We offer investees needed assistance and resources to succeed

Success Stories

The stories below represent the end-user beneficiaries of SCF’s capital at the organizations we fund.

Chef Yolanda Henry
Harvey Small Business Recovery Fund

Rising from the Floodwaters

In 2017, Chef Yolanda Henry experienced the devastating force of Hurricane Harvey on her Houston-based business of 15 years—Nuksy’s Fine Catering. Storm flooding destroyed her equipment, inventory and the building’s structure and forced her to stop operations.…

Red Lake grocery project
Native American Bank (NAB)

Strengthen Native Communities

SCF’s funds were used in a $3.7M construction loan by NAB to the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. This facility greatly expanded community resources to the Red Lake Reservation and surrounding community in Northern Minnesota.…

Appalachian community
FAHE: Community Loan Fund

A Lifeline for Miners

In summer of 2018, over a thousand miners were suddenly laid off and their last paychecks bounced when Blackjewel LLC declared bankruptcy and shuttered.…

Herlinda in her shop
Grameen America Inc.

Herlinda’s Ice Cream Dream

Having moved to Indianapolis from Mexico in 2004 and needing an income for her family, Herlinda began making ice cream in her kitchen and serving customers in her living room.…

Nacis and her handicraft shop
Finca Haiti

A Crafty Way to Rebuild

SCF’s investment supported Haiti’s post-2010 earthquake recovery efforts by helping to rebuild small businesses in one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.…

Piikup delivery van
Self Help: Runway Project Oakland

Soaring with Runway Project

April didn’t dream of being an entrepreneur, but after developing severe scoliosis and having a past conviction (though expunged) she became one out of necessity.…

Investee Testimonials

Runway Project

SHFCU- Runway Project Oakland

"We were impressed with how quickly SCF was able to provide us with the funds we needed for our pilot lending program. Our ability to provide these early-stage African American entrepreneurs with access to capital is central to our mission of reducing the racial wealth gap and creating economic opportunity for all."

Ready to make an impact with SCF? Start Here!

To alleviate poverty by supporting financial, economic and social inclusion strategies that empower low-income people and strengthen communities.