Your business's growth and sustainability are our concerns. We're problem-solvers and bridge-builders who offer flexible financing and creative solutions to fuel the successes of you and your employees.
Not Your Typical Business Lenders
Our vision is small businesses thriving in every sector and every region of New Hampshire and Vermont. Business owners should never have to shelve a growth plan for lack of access to capital and expertise. What local small businesses should be doing is creating quality jobs, with benefits, for employees.
We offer:
Flexible capital, including from other business investors
Comprehensive assessment and customized advice from a diverse professional network
Loans that typically range from $10,000 to $1 million (higher with other participating lenders)
Flexible collateral requirements
Interest-only periods, depending on loan purpose/structure
Creativity and experience to get deals to “yes”
Feedback and advice when a loan from us isn’t appropriate
We offer loans and training to businesses that:
• Are located in New Hampshire, Vermont, or a neighboring state
• Have a plan that defines how capital will solve a problem or facilitate growth
• Offer quality jobs and opportunities for workers
We offer flexible capital to grow more local food businesses—from producer to processor to consumer. Our local food business borrowers receive comprehensive assessment and customized coaching from a diverse network of professionals.
Our vision for our farm and food loans includes:
Farmers have access to productive land, permits, and markets
Locally sourced fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins available to food producers and consumers
Consumers, restaurants, and markets easily find locally produced foods
Working land stewardship of healthy soils, productive ecological farms and forests, diverse wildlife, and clean water.
New Hampshire residents spend a higher than average percentage of their income on energy than others. Energy efficiency and other innovative energy solutions help stabilize costs.
From weatherization and energy efficiency projects to solar arrays for resident-owned communities (ROCs), we work with partner organizations to help people, businesses, and nonprofits reduce their energy costs.
We're working to expand both the amount and the quality of affordable rental housing available to families, seniors, and people who need supportive housing.
We support affordable housing developers in N.H. and VT by offering:
Important information: Pre-development loans to meet the expenses incurred in assessing development opportunities prior to acquisition
Bridge financing to assist in acquiring properties for affordable rental development or improvement
Construction and permanent project financing
Get the details on our involvement in affordable multi-family housing.
We lend to nonprofits and for-profit and organizations that serve New Hampshire communities.
Our flexible financing helps organizations buy real estate, renovate facilities, upgrade equipment, or expand their programming and services. We can also provide short-term loans that bridge the gap between a project and your capital campaign, tax credits, or grant award. Our loan products are accessible and flexible. We’ll work with you to find a solution.
Celebrating Success
We only succeed when our borrowers succeed. Their stories bring us joy and drive us every day to work to provide more opportunities for our neighbors to shine.
Working with the Community Loan Fund was so much easier than I expected. Within two weeks I was meeting with a feasibility study consultant with experience in our field. The result is a large savings in time and capital and more focus on the essence of our business. The Community Loan Fund is a fantastic resource.
Greg MeehOwner, Canterbury Spirits
We can have a lot of beautiful ideas, but mentorship is invaluable in moving those ideas into practicality. And that’s part of this process with the Community Loan Fund.
Nicole SubletteTherapist and Entrepreneur
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