The Fund supports the recovery and sustainability of the Metro Denver nonprofit ecosystem with technical assistance and no-interest loans, prioritizing organizations led-by and/or serving Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).

About the Fund

The Fund aims to counter historic disparities in access to capital while financially supporting the Greater Denver region’s nonprofit ecosystem and the services it provides. The Fund provides no-interest loans to help span gaps and timing issues in the flow of nonprofit revenue, strengthen local nonprofits at a time when they most need financial support, and offer smaller nonprofits low-risk experience managing debt and developing creditworthiness.

The Metro Denver Nonprofit Loan Fund is seeded with $1 million each from Community First Foundation, Rose Community Foundation and The Denver Foundation. Additional funding from banks, foundations and individuals will be welcomed. $200,000 has already been secured from the Colorado Nonprofit Loan Fund.

Nonprofit Finance Fund® (NFF®) provides financing and consulting to help nonprofits and their funders better connect money to mission results. A community development financial institution (CDFI), NFF applies 40 years of experience to today’s social challenges. Since 1980, NFF has provided $942 million in financing and access to additional capital in support of over $2.8 billion in projects for thousands of organizations nationwide.

Why now?

People of color have been disproportionately harmed by COVID-19’s health and economic impacts, and the nonprofits that serve them need enhanced funding. While the federal government has allocated funding to help small businesses and nonprofits survive the pandemic’s economic impact, organizations led by individuals of color have struggled to access this funding.

Eligibility

• 501(c)(3) nonprofits located in seven-county Denver metro area or those that have an endowment at Community First Foundation, Rose Community Foundation or The Denver Foundation.
• Organizations with demonstrated financial need, indication that loan capital is the appropriate financial tool to meet that need, and budgets below $5,000,000.
• Organizations that are led-by and/or serving people of color.
• Organizations with unrestricted pre-depreciation operating surpluses in two of the last three fiscal years, and no late payments on other debt in the 12 months prior to March 2020.

Loans will provide

Stabilization: Financial assistance for smaller nonprofits whose work must continue.
Sustainability: Opportunity for nonprofits to develop new and diverse revenue sources.
Experience: A low-risk way for nonprofits to manage debt and build credit.
Growth/Scale: Opportunity to increase nonprofit service capacity.

Benefits

When organizations led-by and/or serving BIPOC receive sufficient funding, they excel. A no-interest loan program is a low-risk way for nonprofits to manage debt and build credit.