At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026Allies for Community Business, Inc. is a loan fund based in Chicago, Illinois. Its website describes small-business loans. Stated loan amounts run from $500 to $500,000. Where it lends: Businesses located in Illinois or Indiana, and entrepreneurs who live there. Consumer loan APRs stated on its site range from 10% to 19.9%. It says it considers borrowers with low or no credit history. It accepts an ITIN. You can start an application online. It serves borrowers in Spanish.
Each point is backed by a quote further down this page. Terms change: confirm with the lender.
How to reach them and apply
| Lending | (312) 275-3000 source |
|---|---|
| loan@a4cb.org source | |
| Apply online | Page with the application link |
| Website | a4cb.org |
| Office (official list) | 135 N. Kedzie, Chicago, IL 60612 |
What their website says about applying
Provide business and personal bank accounts.
sourceAuthorize us to pull your credit profile.
sourceProvide us with proof of identity.
sourceGive us permission to retrieve your three most recent business and personal tax returns from the IRS, or upload all pages of your signed returns.
source
Phone numbers and addresses are the ones on the lender's own site and the CDFI Fund list. CDFI Atlas does not take applications.
Rates and terms they state
Read 2 Nov 2026| Loan | Stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loans (general) | Rate stated, not as an APR: see their wording | with an interest rate as low as 5.5%. | source |
| Loans (general) | Rate: up to 10% APR | If your loan is approved above $25,000, your interest rate will be 10% with 3% in closing fees (12.1% APR). | source |
| Loans (general) | Rate: up to 12% APR | If your loan is approved for $25,000 or below, your interest rate will be 12% with 3% in closing fees (14.1% APR). | source |
| Loans (general) | Rate: up to 19.9% APR | the annual percentage rate (APR) on the loan will not exceed 19.9% | source |
| Loans (general) | Term: up to 3 yr | Our standard term is 36 months. | source |
| Loans (general) | Term: 5 yr–6 yr | Repayment of this loan must be completed within 60 to 72 months based on the matrix below. | source |
| Credit-builder loans | Term: see their wording | Our standard term is 12 months. | source |
As published on the lender's website on that date, not an offer or a quote. Your rate depends on the lender's review. A missing rate means the pages we read did not state one. For consumer loans we repeat a rate only when the lender states it as an APR (annual percentage rate, which includes fees); otherwise read the lender's own wording and ask for the APR.
Who qualifies, in their words
- Low or damaged credit considered
We can still provide you with a starter loan to help you improve your credit and cash flow.
source - ITIN accepted
We serve businesses who operate using a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN), a Social Security number, or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
source - Collateral flexible or not always required
we do not use credit scores and do not put liens on your personal assets unless you are approved for more than $250,000.
source
Only rules the lender's own pages state. Other requirements may apply.
Official record
CDFI Fund list, 21 Oct 2026| Institution type | Loan fund |
|---|---|
| Native CDFI | No |
| Date certified (as listed) | 17 Sep 2013 |
| RSSD ID | — (none listed) |
| Address | 135 N. Kedzie, Chicago, IL 60612 Directions (Google Maps) |
| Website | a4cb.org |
Head officeBranch or officeApproximate (ZIP code area)
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, © OpenMapTiles, tiles OpenFreeMap. Head-office points: U.S. Census Bureau geocoder.
Loans and eligibility
Verified from lender site on 2 Nov 2026Read from 7 pages of the lender's website on 2 Nov 2026. Quotes are verbatim. Extracted with AI help from the pages listed below and checked automatically against them. Not reviewed by a person. Confidence: high. Revenue-based financing is listed on the loans page but was not separately entered as a product. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small-business loans | $500 – $500,000 | Allies for Community Business offers term loans and lines of credit between $500 and $500,000 to early, emerging, and established businesses in Illinois and Indiana. | source |
Loan sizes
Allies for Community Business offers term loans and lines of credit between $500 and $500,000 to early, emerging, and established businesses in Illinois and Indiana.
sourceAllies for Community Business offers revenue-based financing loans between $50,000 and $500,000 to established businesses who have a clear plan for growth
sourceWe will offer you the largest loan amount (capped at $2,500) at which your CDC ratio equals at least 1.20.
source
Range used for the size filter: $500 to $500,000
Service area
Businesses located in Illinois or Indiana, and entrepreneurs who live there
We serve businesses located in Illinois or Indiana, as well as entrepreneurs who live in these states and operate home-based or online businesses.
source
Borrower focus
- Low- and moderate-income / underserved
We eagerly serve small business owners throughout Chicagoland and beyond. But we prioritize working with entrepreneurs that have been traditionally underserved: Black and Latinx, women, or low-income.
source - Minority / BIPOC
We eagerly serve small business owners throughout Chicagoland and beyond. But we prioritize working with entrepreneurs that have been traditionally underserved: Black and Latinx, women, or low-income.
source - Women
We eagerly serve small business owners throughout Chicagoland and beyond. But we prioritize working with entrepreneurs that have been traditionally underserved: Black and Latinx, women, or low-income.
source
Languages
- Spanish
Allies for Community Business ofrece préstamos a plazos y líneas de crédito entre $500 y $500,000 para empresas iniciales, emergentes y establecidas en Illinois e Indiana.
source
Online application
Yes — the site links to an application. Apply for a Loan
source
Questions to ask when you contact them
Based on what their website said when we read it on 2 Nov 2026, and what it left out. Something missing here does not mean they don't offer it: ask.
- Do you offer free coaching or help preparing my application?
CDFI certification requires development services, such as training or advice, alongside lending. - What documents will you need from me, and how long does a decision usually take?
Their website describes some application steps (above); ask for the full document list.
Write down the answers, who you spoke to and the date, and ask for the terms in writing before you sign.
CDFI Fund awards
CDFI Fund database, 3 Nov 2026$8.9 million in 9 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2000–2022 (CDFI Equitable Recovery Program; CDFI Program, Financial Assistance; CDFI Rapid Response Program).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $1,735,187 |
| 2021 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $525,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,826,265 |
| 2018 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $700,000 |
| 2014 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,000,000 |
| 2013 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $847,000 |
| 2012 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $600,000 |
| 2010 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $600,000 |
| 2000 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,100,000 |
These are awards and investments made to the institution itself to build its capital and capacity. They are not loans to borrowers, and an award does not mean the lender has money available for a particular loan today.
Source: CDFI Fund Searchable Awards Database, all 12,628 award records (1996–2025), read 3 Nov 2026. Years are the award round as the database lists it. Matched to the official CDFI list by exact name and state; see the method on the About page.
Size of the fund (IRS Form 990)
Fiscal year ending Dec 2023| Total assets | $35.6M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $21.2M |
| Net assets | $14.3M |
| Total revenue | $9.1M |
| Notes and loans receivable, net (Part X line 7) | $15.8M |
| Program-related investments (Part X line 13) | $4.3M |
End-of-year figures from the Form 990 this organisation filed with the IRS for the fiscal year ending December 2023 (tax year 2023; EIN 36-3966573, filed as “ALLIES FOR COMMUNITY BUSINESS INC”), taken from the IRS Annual Extract of Tax-Exempt Organization Financial Data (returns processed in 2024). Figures are self-reported to the IRS, not audited by us, and lag one to two years behind today. The lender’s own annual report may show newer numbers. This organisation’s filings on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Filings over time
| Fiscal year ending | Total assets | Net assets | Revenue | Notes and loans receivable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2020 (990) | $82.5M | $13.4M | $18.2M | $20.2M |
| Dec 2021 (990) | $54.7M | $18.8M | $12.5M | $22.2M |
| Dec 2022 (990) | $47.3M | $19.9M | $9M | $23.4M |
| Dec 2023 (990) | $35.6M | $14.3M | $9.1M | $15.8M |
Total assets fell 57% from Dec 2020 to Dec 2023; notes and loans receivable fell 22%. One row per fiscal year in the IRS extracts of returns processed in 2022, 2023, 2024; “—” = the line was empty or zero on that return (a fund can book its loans on other lines).
How it compares
Computed from public data| Measure | This lender | Compared with |
|---|---|---|
| Largest loan its website states | $500,000 | Other loan funds whose website states a maximum: median $250,000. Higher than the stated maximum of 63% of these 184. |
| Total assets, latest IRS Form 990 | $35.6M | Larger than 50% of the 8 other certified loan funds and venture funds in Illinois with a matched Form 990 (median $42.9M). |
How these comparisons were worked out
| Measure | Peer group (this lender left out) | Peers | Where this lender sits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largest stated loan | other loan funds stating a maximum, nationwide | 184 | higher than 63% |
| Form 990 total assets | certified loan and venture funds with a Form 990, in Illinois | 8 | larger than 50% |
“Larger than X%” = the share of the peer group with a smaller value. Ranks count from the largest. Peer groups use the lender's home state when it has at least 5 peers, otherwise the whole country. Full definitions: methodology.
For comparison, not an offer and not a rating. Past records show what this lender did, not what you would be offered. Peer groups and sources: methodology. Form 990 figures: IRS annual extracts (see the Form 990 section).
Other certified CDFIs in Chicago and Illinois
- Berean Credit UnionCredit union · Chicago, ILOfficial list only
- C3 Impact Fund, LLCVenture capital fund · Chicago, ILOfficial list only
- Chicago Community Loan Fund, TheLoan fund · Chicago, ILCommercial real estate loans, Affordable housing development loans, Nonprofit / community facility loansVerified
- Cinnaire Lending CorporationLoan fund · Chicago, ILAffordable housing development loans, Nonprofit / community facility loansVerified
- Community Investment CorporationLoan fund · Chicago, ILCommercial real estate loans, Energy / solar / efficiency loans, Affordable housing development loansVerified
- Fellowship Baptist Church Credit Union IncCredit union · Chicago, ILOfficial list only
- First Eagle BancsharesBank holding company · Chicago, ILAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Credit-builder loans, Equipment loans…Verified
- First Eagle BankBank or thrift · Chicago, ILAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Credit-builder loans, Equipment loans…Verified
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