Local Enterprise Assistance Fund

Date: 2022

Asset Class: Private Debt, CDFI - Subcommercial

Description:  LEAF is a nonprofit CDFI loan fund that lends to cooperative-owned entities and small businesses and invests in affordable housing developments in low-income or historically disadvantaged communities. LEAF lends nationally, with a focus on the following sectors: community-owned natural food co-ops, low-income co-op housing developments, worker-owned firms, and other community-based businesses and social enterprises.

Why We Invest: Cooperatives play a critical role in building community wealth as they often provide quality goods and services to areas that have been overlooked by traditional businesses as less profitable markets. By providing financing and development assistance to cooperatives and social purpose ventures, LEAF promotes human and economic development, improving quality of life and creating/saving jobs for low-income people across the U.S.