Credit-Builder Loans at CDFIs: 117 lenders and their amounts

117 of the 865 certified CDFIs whose websites we have checked describe a credit-builder loan, and 66 of them are credit unions. Where a lender states a top amount, it runs from $300 to $25,000 with a median of $2,000 (26 lenders).

Who offers them

Lender type	With a credit-builder loan	Verified lenders of this type	Share
Loan funds	31	416	7%
Credit unions	66	265	25%
Banks or thrifts	14	139	10%
Bank holding companies	6	40	15%

Credit unions are where to look first: 25% of verified CDFI credit unions describe one, against 7% of loan funds.

How they work

A credit-builder loan reverses the usual order: you repay first and get the money at the end. The CFPB describes it like this: When a borrower opens a CBL, the lender moves its own funds, generally $300 to $1,000 into a locked escrow account. The borrower makes payments, including interest and fees, in installments typically over a period of 6 to 24 months. These payments appear on the borrower’s credit report. ^[1]

How big they are

26 lenders state a maximum. 19 of them (73%) go above the $1,000 top of the CFPB's typical range, so CDFI credit-builder loans can be larger than the textbook version. 14 state a minimum (median $500).

Largest amount stated	Lenders
$500 or less	3
$501 to $1,000	4
$1,001 to $2,500	12
$2,501 to $5,000	5
Over $5,000	2

Every lender that states an amount

Lender	Amount	Text on the lender's site
African Economic Development Solutions (Loan fund, MN)	$300	African Economic Development Solutions (AEDS) offers $300 interest free credit building loans.
NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTER (Loan fund, MN)	$300	Receive a $300-dollar personal loan to practice good financial habits.
Rolling F Credit Union (Credit union, CA)	up to $500	CREDIT BUILDER - Max. $500
COOPERATIVA DE AHORRO Y CRÉDITO RICO DAIRY, INC. (Credit union, PR)	up to $1,000	Si no tienes crédito esta es tu mejor alternativa. Prestamos hasta $1,000 dólares. Solo para socios sin experiencia crediticia.
CommunityWorks (Loan fund, SC)	up to $1,000	Secured Savings accounts will go up to $1,000 over a 12-month period
First Pioneers FCU (Credit union, LA)	$1,000	The credit builder loan is $1,000 in total.
Magnolia Federal Credit Union (Credit union, MS)	$1,000	$1,000 loan amount
Clearway Federal Credit Union (Credit union, AR)	up to $1,500	You are approved to borrow up to $1,500.
East End Food Coop FCU (Credit union, PA)	up to $1,500	Our credit union offers short-term, share-secured loans up to $1500.
Grant Bancshares, Inc. (Bank holding company, LA)	$500 to $1,500	Minimum of $500, Maximum of $1,500
Peoples Advantage Federal Credit Union (Credit union, VA)	$500 to $1,500	Borrow between $500-$1,500
Alltru Federal Credit Union (Credit union, MO)	$300 to $2,000	Loan amounts from $300-$2,000
AltaOne Federal Credit Union (Credit union, CA)	up to $2,000	Credit Builder: $2,000 maximum
Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union (Credit union, NY)	$550 to $2,000	Amount: $550-$2,000
Peoples Bank (Bank or thrift, MS)	$500 to $2,000	Loan amounts will range from $500 – $2000 and have terms ranging from 12 – 24 months.
Ascension Credit Union (Credit union, LA)	up to $2,500	Amounts up to $2500 with a 18 month maximum term
Chehalis Tribal Loan Fund (Loan fund, WA)	up to $2,500	Maximum loan amount: $2,500.00
First Eagle Bancshares (Bank holding company, IL)	$250 to $2,500	You borrow from $250 to $2,500 for 12, 18 or 24 months.
Park Community Credit Union (Credit union, KY)	up to $2,500	Loan may be granted for up to $2,500 at terms not to exceed 24 months.
Tucoemas Federal Credit Union (Credit union, CA)	$1,000 to $3,000	Borrow $1,000 – $3,000 with little or no credit history.
Caribe Federal Credit Union (Credit union, PR)	up to $5,000	Cantidad máxima del préstamo: Hasta $5,000.00
Cooperativa de Ahorro y Credito Bo. Quebrada de Camuy, P.R. (Credit union, PR)	up to $5,000	Hasta $5,000.00 el dinero se utilizará para garantizar el mismo préstamo
Mni Sota Fund (Loan fund, MN)	$250 to $5,000	$250 – $5,000
Peoples Partners for Community Development (Loan fund, MT)	up to $5,000	PPCD offers Credit Builder Loans up to $5000.
NACDC Financial Services Inc. (Loan fund, MT)	up to $10,000	These loans are paid directly to the vendors or creditors and are available up to $10,000 with terms of two (2) years or less.
Community First Fund dba Finanta (Loan fund, PA)	$1,200 to $25,000	$1,200 – $25,000 Credit Building Loans:

Does it help?

The CFPB tested a credit union's credit-builder loan with 1,531 members. It found: For participants without an existing loan, opening a CBL increased their likelihood of having a credit score by 24 percent. But it also found that the loan appeared to cause a decrease in scores for participants with existing debt. ^[1] So the loan fits best when you have no current debt and can make every payment on time.

What else these lenders say

83 of the 117 link to an online application somewhere on their site.
24 offer service in Spanish (see ITIN and Spanish-language lenders).
Borrower groups they name most: Low- and moderate-income / underserved (15), Startups (15), Native American / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian (14), First-time homebuyers (12), Veterans (8).

Credit unions lend to members only. The NCUA says: Many credit unions serve anyone that lives, works, worships or attends school in a particular geographic area. ^[2] Check the field of membership on the credit union's site before applying.

Where they are

State	Lenders headquartered there	State page for this loan type
New York	12	12 lenders serve New York
Mississippi	10	10 lenders serve Mississippi
California	7	8 lenders serve California
Louisiana	7	—
Florida	6	—
Michigan	5	—
Oregon	5	—
Puerto Rico	5	—
Illinois	4	—
Minnesota	4	—
Missouri	4	—
Pennsylvania	4	—
Texas	4	—
South Carolina	3	—
South Dakota	3	—

County pages that list at least one of these lenders:

All 117 lenders with a credit-builder loan, by state

Questions

Which CDFIs offer credit-builder loans?

117 verified CDFIs describe one on their website, 66 of them credit unions. The full list is on this page, grouped by state.

How much can I borrow with a credit-builder loan?

Stated maximums run from $300 to $25,000, median $2,000, among the 26 lenders that give a figure. The CFPB puts the typical amount at $300 to $1,000.

Do I get the money right away?

Not in the usual design: the CFPB describes the lender holding the loan amount in a locked account while you repay, and you receive it at the end. Read each lender's terms.

Will a credit-builder loan raise my score?

It can if you have no other debt and pay on time. In the CFPB study, participants without existing debt gained the most, and those already carrying loans saw scores fall slightly on average.

Do I need to be a member?

For a credit union, yes: you join first. Loan funds and banks do not have membership, but may have income or location rules.

Not financial advice. CDFI Atlas is not a lender and is not affiliated with the CDFI Fund. Lender terms change: confirm with the lender.

Sources

CFPB: CFPB Study Shows Financial Product Could Help Consumers Build Credit (archived press release), read 3 Nov 2026
NCUA, MyCreditUnion.gov: How is a credit union different than a bank?, read 3 Nov 2026
CFPB: What are some ways to start or rebuild a good credit history?, read 3 Nov 2026

Lender data: the CDFI Fund list of certified CDFIs as of 21 Oct 2026 and the lenders' own websites, read 29 Oct 2026–4 Nov 2026 (each lender page shows its own date). Method: About and methodology.