At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026Community First Fund dba Finanta is a loan fund based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Its website describes commercial real estate loans, credit-builder loans, affordable housing development loans and 5 other loan types. It says it considers borrowers with low or no credit history. You can start an application online.
Each point is backed by a quote further down this page. Terms change: confirm with the lender.
How to reach them and apply
| Lending | (267) 236-7000 source |
|---|---|
| Apply online | Page with the application link |
| Website | www.finanta.org |
| Office (official list) | 51 South Duke Street P.O. Box 524, Lancaster, PA 17608 |
What their website says about applying
Speak to an Affinity Group Lender by calling
sourceClick the button below to launch the form. After completing the form, a Finanta Lender will contact you within two business days.
sourceRequest a loan consultation for a Finanta Small Business Loan now!
sourceContact a member of our lending team!
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) | Term: see their wording | Each cycle is at least 12 months, the term necessary to address credit issues | 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 help you establish, increase or repair credit as necessary.
source - No or thin credit history considered
We can help you establish, increase or repair credit as necessary.
source - First-time homebuyer program
We also offer counseling and mortgages to first-time homebuyers in Greater Philadelphia.
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 | 51 South Duke Street P.O. Box 524, Lancaster, PA 17608 |
| Website | www.finanta.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. The homepage says the lender was formerly named Community First Fund; the AGL credit-building program is only offered in the Greater Philadelphia region. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial real estate loans | — | Our commercial real estate lending focuses on facilitating the development, rehabilitation or adaptive re-use of commercial and mixed-use real estate projects located in downtowns or in low-income neighborhoods of cities in our market area. | source |
| Credit-builder loans | $1,200 – $25,000 | $1,200 – $25,000 Credit Building Loans: | source |
| Affordable housing development loans | — | We provide loans to both for profit and nonprofit developers of housing for low- and moderate-income families. | source |
| Microloans | — | Microloans are for businesses that require less than $50,000 for start-up or expansion. | source |
| Home mortgages | — | We also offer counseling and mortgages to first-time homebuyers in Greater Philadelphia. | source |
| Nonprofit / community facility loans | — | We provide loans to nonprofit community organizations to develop and support community programs. | source |
| SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage) | — | Finanta is an approved SBA Guarantee Lender. Approved to offer SBA loan products under SBA’s Preferred Lenders Program. | source |
| Small-business loans | — | Small Business Loans are for projects that require more capital than a microloan can provide. | source |
Loan sizes
Service area
Not stated on the pages we read.
Borrower focus
- First-time homebuyers
We also offer counseling and mortgages to first-time homebuyers in Greater Philadelphia.
source - Nonprofits
We provide loans to nonprofit community organizations to develop and support community programs.
source - Startups
Our Small Business Loans target both start-ups and established businesses poised for growth
source
Languages
- No non-English service found on the pages we read.
Online application
Yes — the site links to an application. CLICK HERE TO START YOUR APPLICATION!
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 lend where I live, or where my business is?
Their website does not say which area they serve. - What are the smallest and the largest loans you make?
No loan amounts are stated on their website. - What is the APR, including fees, on your credit-builder loans and home mortgages?
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 commercial real estate loans and affordable housing development loans?
Their website does not state a rate for this. - Do you need collateral, a business plan or a minimum time in business?
Their website does not say what they require. - 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$48.7 million in 33 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 1998–2024 (7 programs).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,735,000 |
| 2024 | Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Financial Assistance | $3,800,000 |
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $6,197,097 |
| 2022 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,050,000 |
| 2022 | Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Financial Assistance | $2,000,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $970,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,826,265 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,826,265 |
| 2021 | Capital Magnet Fund | $2,000,000 |
| 2021 | Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Financial Assistance | $4,250,000 |
| 2021 | Small Dollar Loan Program | $235,800 |
| 2020 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,000,000 |
| 2020 | Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Financial Assistance | $1,850,000 |
| 2019 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $799,000 |
| 2019 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $665,000 |
| 2019 | Capital Magnet Fund | $1,500,000 |
| 2019 | Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Financial Assistance | $2,000,000 |
| 2018 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $700,000 |
| 2018 | Capital Magnet Fund | $1,500,000 |
| 2017 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $916,905 |
| 2017 | Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Financial Assistance | $1,000,000 |
| 2015 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $2,000,000 |
| 2014 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $2,000,000 |
| 2012 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,453,806 |
| 2010 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $750,000 |
| 2009 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,000,000 |
| 2008 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,076,391 |
| 2007 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $482,500 |
| 2006 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $585,000 |
| 2003 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $700,000 |
| 2000 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $500,000 |
| 1999 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $350,000 |
| 1998 | CDFI Program, Technical Assistance | $25,000 |
New Markets Tax Credit allocations
$205 million in 6 allocations. An NMTC allocation is the authority to offer investors federal tax credits for community investments; it is not cash paid to the lender and is not counted in the award total above.
| Round year | Program | Allocation |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $45,000,000 |
| 2023 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $40,000,000 |
| 2022 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $30,000,000 |
| 2016 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $45,000,000 |
| 2014 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $30,000,000 |
| 2012 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $15,000,000 |
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 Jun 2023| Total assets | $150M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $87.6M |
| Net assets | $62.4M |
| Total revenue | $19.6M |
| Notes and loans receivable, net (Part X line 7) | $90M |
| Program-related investments (Part X line 13) | $17.2M |
End-of-year figures from the Form 990 this organisation filed with the IRS for the fiscal year ending June 2023 (tax year 2022; EIN 23-2689714, filed as “COMMUNITY FIRST FUND”), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2021 (990) | $129M | $48.4M | $45M | $67.3M |
| Jun 2022 (990) | $141.9M | $57.9M | $17.5M | $71.9M |
| Jun 2023 (990) | $150M | $62.4M | $19.6M | $90M |
Total assets grew 16% from Jun 2021 to Jun 2023; notes and loans receivable rose 34%. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets, latest IRS Form 990 | $150M | Larger than 96% of the 24 other certified loan funds and venture funds in Pennsylvania with a matched Form 990 (median $8.4M). |
How these comparisons were worked out
| Measure | Peer group (this lender left out) | Peers | Where this lender sits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 990 total assets | certified loan and venture funds with a Form 990, in Pennsylvania | 24 | larger than 96% |
“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).
SBA loans approved
SBA data as of 30 Sep 2026The SBA's public loan data lists 4 SBA-backed approvals for Community First Fund dba Finanta in fiscal years 2020–2026 (October 2019 to September 2026):
- 4 504 projects as the third-party (first-lien) lender: $3.3M in total (its own third-party loan amount), median $796,041
By fiscal year: FY2020 0 · FY2021 0 · FY2022 0 · FY2023 1 · FY2024 2 · FY2025 1 · FY2026 0.
By program
- 504 projects (as the third-party lender) (4, 100%)
Borrower industries
NAICS sector, 3 or more loans.
- Health care and social assistance (3)
How this lender was matched in the SBA files: 504 third-party lender name: same name, state and city (SBA lists “Community First Fund”).
Approved is not the same as paid out: an approved loan can be reduced or never drawn. SBA lists the lender each loan is currently assigned to, which can differ after a merger or loan sale. Community First Fund dba Finanta may also make loans outside SBA programs, which are not counted here, and SBA Microloans are not in these files. For 504 projects, the CDC amount is the SBA-backed portion and the third-party lender amount is that lender's own first-lien loan.
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, 7(a) & 504 FOIA loan data, files as of 30 Sep 2026, downloaded 3 Nov 2026. Our counts, cancelled approvals left out. How we match lenders.
Other certified CDFIs in Lancaster and Pennsylvania
- ASSETS LancasterLoan fund · Lancaster, PASmall-business loansVerified
- TENFOLD COMMUNITY LENDINGLoan fund · Lancaster, PAVerified
- Asian BankBank or thrift · Philadelphia, PACommercial real estate loans, Home mortgages, SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage), Small-business loansVerified
- Asian Finanical CorporationBank holding company · Philadelphia, PACommercial real estate loans, Home mortgages, SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage), Small-business loansVerified
- BEECH CAPITAL VENTURE CORPORATIONLoan fund · Philadelphia, PASmall-business loansVerified
- East End Food Coop FCUCredit union · Pittsburgh, PAAuto / vehicle loans, Credit-builder loans, Small-dollar / emergency loans, Energy / solar / efficiency loans…Verified
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