At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026Communities Unlimited, Inc. is a loan fund based in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Its website describes farm loans, home repair loans and small-business loans. Stated loan amounts run from $1,000 to $200,000. Where it lends: Seven-state region: AL, AR, LA, MS, OK, TN, TX; select loan products reach borrowers more broadly. It says it considers borrowers with low or no credit history. 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
| Main | (479) 443-2700 source |
|---|---|
| info@communitiesu.org source | |
| Apply online | Page with the application link |
| Website | www.CommunitiesU.org |
| Office (official list) | 3 East Colt Square Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72703 |
What their website says about applying
2 years business tax returns (if available)
source2 years personal tax returns
sourcePersonal financial statement
sourceTwo years personal tax documents for business owner(s)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture / farm loans | Term: up to 5 yr | Up to 5-year term | source |
| Home repair / improvement loans | Term: see their wording | 2 year term | 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
- Collateral flexible or not always required
No collateral
source - No or thin credit history considered
No credit required, proof of on-time payments may be required
source - Collateral required
Collateral is required
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 | 3 East Colt Square Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72703 Directions (Google Maps) |
| Website | www.CommunitiesU.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 6 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. Water and wastewater system loans have no matching product key and are not listed; home improvement loans are limited to select Arkansas and Texas counties. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture / farm loans | — | Our Small Farm Lending program helps ease cash flow pressures caused by cost-reimbursement models. | source |
| Home repair / improvement loans | up to $3,500 | Up to $3,500 | source |
| Small-business loans | $1,000 – $200,000 | our loans from $1,000 to $200,000 can bridge the financing gap | source |
Loan sizes
Range used for the size filter: $1,000 to $200,000
Service area
Seven-state region: AL, AR, LA, MS, OK, TN, TX; select loan products reach borrowers more broadly
Communities Unlimited lends to rural borrowers across its seven-state region — Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama
source
Borrower focus
- Farmers / ranchers
Small farmers are vital to communities but often struggle to access funding.
source - Low- and moderate-income / underserved
targeting low- to moderate-income residents who lack access to traditional loans
source - Rural
provides loans to rural people and places across the Mid-South
source
Languages
- Spanish
Spanish Application
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.
- What is the APR, including fees, on your home repair loans?
Their website does not state an APR. The APR includes fees, so it is the number to compare. - What interest rate and fees should I expect on your farm loans and small-business loans?
Their website does not state a rate for this. - 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$12.4 million in 12 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2001–2024 (4 programs).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,110,000 |
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $1,422,853 |
| 2022 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $667,900 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,278,385 |
| 2021 | Small Dollar Loan Program | $135,000 |
| 2020 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $757,500 |
| 2019 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $674,000 |
| 2018 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,125,000 |
| 2017 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,006,905 |
| 2012 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,453,806 |
| 2011 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,500,000 |
| 2001 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,250,000 |
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 Sep 2023| Total assets | $37M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $16.4M |
| Net assets | $20.5M |
| Total revenue | $15.5M |
| Notes and loans receivable, net (Part X line 7) | $14.1M |
End-of-year figures from the Form 990 this organisation filed with the IRS for the fiscal year ending September 2023 (tax year 2022; EIN 71-0464321, filed as “COMMUNITIES UNLIMITED 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2021 (990) | $25.1M | $16.4M | $11M | $9M |
| Sep 2022 (990) | $26.8M | $17.4M | $9.9M | $11.3M |
| Sep 2023 (990) | $37M | $20.5M | $15.5M | $14.1M |
Total assets grew 47% from Sep 2021 to Sep 2023; notes and loans receivable rose 56%. 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 | $200,000 | Other loan funds whose website states a maximum: median $275,000. Higher than the stated maximum of 34% of these 184. |
| Total assets, latest IRS Form 990 | $37M | Larger than 72% of the 449 other certified loan funds and venture funds nationwide with a matched Form 990 (median $15.6M). |
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 34% |
| Form 990 total assets | certified loan and venture funds with a Form 990, nationwide | 449 | larger than 72% |
“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 Fayetteville and Arkansas
- Bank of Lake VillageBank or thrift · Lake Village, ARAgriculture / farm loans, Auto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Equipment loans…Verified
- Clearway Federal Credit UnionCredit union · Malvern, ARAuto / vehicle loans, Credit-builder loans, Home mortgages, Personal / consumer loansVerified
- Connect BankBank or thrift · Star City, ARCommercial real estate loans, Equipment loans, Personal / consumer loans, Small-business loansVerified
- Cotton Belt FCUCredit union · Pine Bluff, ARAuto / vehicle loans, Credit-builder loans, Home mortgages, Personal / consumer loansVerified
- FBT Bancshares, Inc.Bank holding company · Fordyce, ARAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Equipment loans, Home repair / improvement loans…Verified
- FBT Bank & Mortgage (Fordyce Bank & Trust Company)Bank or thrift · Fordyce, ARAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Equipment loans, Home repair / improvement loans…Verified
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