At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026CommunityWorks is a loan fund based in Greenville, South Carolina. Its website describes credit-builder loans, microloans and small-business loans. Stated loan amounts run from $1,000 to $350,000. Where it lends: Statewide across South Carolina. Business loan rates stated on its site range from 8.75% to 9.5%. It says it considers borrowers with low or no credit history. 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 | (864) 235-6331 source |
|---|---|
| Website | communityworkscarolina.org |
| Office (official list) | PO Box 17826, Greenville, SC 29606 |
What their website says about applying
If you are pre-approved and working with a lender, read through the programs below, and notify your lender.
sourceReview your personal credit report to confirm there are no recent collections, charge-offs, or past-due activity within 18 months.
sourceEstablish a business bank account.
sourceBe prepared to upload the following documents:
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microloans | Rate: 8.75% | at a fixed rate of 8.75% | source |
| Microloans | Rate: up to 9.5% | 9.50% with a 3% origination fee. | source |
| Small-business loans | Rate: 8.75% | Terms are up to 5 years at a fixed interest rate of 8.75% | source |
| Microloans | Term: up to 4 yr | Express Loans range from $1,000 to $10,000 up to 48 months | source |
| Microloans | Term: up to 5 yr | 60 months at a fixed rate of 8.75% | 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
No minimum credit score requirement
source - Collateral required
CommunityWorks places a UCC blanket lien on all business assets.
source - Income limit applies
Have a household income at or below 80% Area Median Income
source - First-time homebuyer program
First-time homebuyers (or not have owned a home in 3 years)
source - Homebuyer education required
Attend an approved homebuyer education workshop
source - Business plan required
Business Plan, or a Business Plan Canvas if a Business Plan is unavailable
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) | 5 Aug 2014 |
| RSSD ID | — (none listed) |
| Address | PO Box 17826, Greenville, SC 29606 |
| Website | communityworkscarolina.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: medium. Start-up loans are not being accepted, so they are excluded; down payment assistance is listed under mortgage as a forgivable subordinate loan. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit-builder loans | up to $1,000 | Secured Savings accounts will go up to $1,000 over a 12-month period | source |
| Microloans | $1,000 – $10,000 | Express Loans range from $1,000 to $10,000 | source |
| Small-business loans | up to $350,000 | CommunityWorks will consider small business loans up to $350,000 to qualifying, existing entities. | source |
Loan sizes
CommunityWorks will consider small business loans up to $350,000 to qualifying, existing entities.
sourceExpress Loans range from $1,000 to $10,000
sourceMicrobusiness Loans are from $10,001 to $50,000
sourceSecured Savings accounts will go up to $1,000 over a 12-month period
source
Range used for the size filter: $1,000 to $350,000
Service area
Statewide across South Carolina
We provide financing to small business owners throughout South Carolina.
source
Statewide: South Carolina
Borrower focus
Languages
- Spanish
Una casa es una inversión valiosa, frecuentemente una de las más grandes e importantes que puede hacer.
source
Online application
No online application link found on the pages we read.
Pages read (7)
- https://communityworkscarolina.org/
- https://communityworkscarolina.org/lending/small-business-loans/
- https://communityworkscarolina.org/tips-for-choosing-a-mortgage-loan-officer/
- https://communityworkscarolina.org/lending/down-payment-assistance/
- https://communityworkscarolina.org/applying-for-a-small-business-loan-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
- https://communityworkscarolina.org/small-bizlender-matchmaking-georgetown/
- https://communityworkscarolina.org/prestamos/ayuda-para-el-anticipo/?lang=es
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 credit-builder loans?
Their website does not state an APR. The APR includes fees, so it is the number to compare. - Can I apply online, or do I need to call or visit?
We found no online application on their website. - 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$9.2 million in 10 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2012–2024 (4 programs).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,250,000 |
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $2,148,327 |
| 2021 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $525,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,826,265 |
| 2018 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $875,000 |
| 2017 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $720,000 |
| 2016 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $700,000 |
| 2014 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $500,000 |
| 2013 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $600,000 |
| 2012 | CDFI Program, Technical Assistance | $99,879 |
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.
How it compares
Computed from public data| Measure | This lender | Compared with |
|---|---|---|
| Largest loan its website states | $350,000 | Other loan funds whose website states a maximum: median $250,000. Higher than the stated maximum of 53% of these 184. |
| Business loan rate its website stated (2 Nov 2026) | 8.75% | Prime rate that day: 7.00% (FRED DPRIME), so the lowest stated rate is 1.75 pts above prime. For an SBA 7(a) variable-rate loan the legal maximum is prime plus 3 to 6.5 points, by loan size. |
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 53% |
“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; your rate depends on the loan and on the lender's review. Peer groups and sources: methodology. Prime rate: FRED DPRIME.
SBA loans approved
SBA data as of 30 Sep 2026The SBA's public loan data lists 4 SBA-backed approvals for CommunityWorks in fiscal years 2020–2026 (October 2019 to September 2026):
- 4 7(a) loans as the lender: $848,000 in total (gross amount approved), median $204,500
By fiscal year: FY2020 0 · FY2021 0 · FY2022 2 · FY2023 0 · FY2024 0 · FY2025 2 · FY2026 0.
By program
- 7(a) Community Advantage (2, 50%)
- 7(a) standard (2, 50%)
How this lender was matched in the SBA files: SBA lender ID 0495185: same name, state and city (SBA lists “CommunityWorks”).
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. CommunityWorks may also make loans outside SBA programs, which are not counted here, and SBA Microloans are not in these files.
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 Greenville and South Carolina
- Spero Financial Federal Credit UnionCredit union · Greenville, SCAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Home mortgages, Personal / consumer loans…Verified
- Berkeley Community Federal Credit UnionCredit union · Moncks Corner, SCAuto / vehicle loans, Personal / consumer loansVerified
- Business Development Corp of SCLoan fund · Columbia, SCCommercial real estate loans, SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage), Small-business loansVerified
- CLIMB FundLoan fund · Charleston, SCCommercial real estate loans, Microloans, Small-business loansVerified
- Carolina Foothills FCUCredit union · Spartanburg, SCAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Credit-builder loans, Equipment loans…Verified
- EDISTO FEDERAL CREDIT UNIONCredit union · Orangeburg, SCVerified
Work at CommunityWorks? Link to this page
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CDFI Atlas is not a lender and does not give financial advice. Inclusion is not an endorsement, and lenders have not reviewed or approved these pages. Disclaimer.