At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026Main Street Launch is a loan fund based in Oakland, California. Its website describes small-business loans. Stated loan amounts run up to $350,000. Where it lends: California small businesses, with Oakland and San Francisco lending programs. 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
| Main | (510) 763-4297 source |
|---|---|
| Apply online | Page with the application link |
| Website | www.mainstreetlaunch.org |
| Office (official list) | 360 22nd Street, Suite 720, Oakland, CA 94612 |
What their website says about applying
Call Us Today to Learn More About How We Can Help Your Business Grow:
sourceIf you would like more information about our loan program, please fill out this form.
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.
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 | 360 22nd Street, Suite 720, Oakland, CA 94612 Directions (Google Maps) |
| Website | www.mainstreetlaunch.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. Individual loan product pages were not among the pages fetched, so loan terms beyond the $350,000 maximum are unclear. 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 | up to $350,000 | Access to micro and small business loans up to $350,000, offering competitive interest rates and no prepayment penalties. | source |
Loan sizes
We offer loans up to $350,000 for California small businesses.
sourceAccess to micro and small business loans up to $350,000, offering competitive interest rates and no prepayment penalties.
source
Range used for the size filter: not stated to $350,000
Service area
California small businesses, with Oakland and San Francisco lending programs
We offer loans up to $350,000 for California small businesses.
source
Borrower focus
- Not stated on the pages we read.
Languages
- No non-English service found on the pages we read.
Online application
Yes — the site links to an application. Start an Application
source
Pages read (7)
- https://mainstreetlaunch.org/
- https://mainstreetlaunch.org/services/
- https://mainstreetlaunch.org/bay-area-small-business-finance-speaks-to-the-wsj/
- https://mainstreetlaunch.org/project-category/oakland-business-lending/
- https://mainstreetlaunch.org/project-category/california-statewide-lending/
- https://mainstreetlaunch.org/project-category/san-francisco-business-lending/
- https://mainstreetlaunch.org/project-category/veteran-owned-business-lending/
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.
- Is there a minimum loan amount?
Their website gives a maximum ($350,000) but no minimum. - What interest rate and fees should I expect on your small-business 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. - How long can I take to repay?
No repayment terms are stated 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$11.4 million in 10 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2009–2022 (4 programs).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $2,602,780 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,826,265 |
| 2020 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $620,000 |
| 2020 | Disability Funds, Financial Assistance | $268,750 |
| 2018 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,125,000 |
| 2018 | Disability Funds, Financial Assistance | $400,000 |
| 2017 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $916,905 |
| 2015 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,750,000 |
| 2013 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,347,000 |
| 2009 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $500,000 |
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 | $28.4M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $14.9M |
| Net assets | $13.5M |
| Total revenue | $7.5M |
| Notes and loans receivable, net (Part X line 7) | $10.9M |
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 94-2548556, filed as “MAIN STREET LAUNCH”), 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) | $33.8M | $13.3M | $12.8M | $13.9M |
| Jun 2022 (990) | $31M | $13.3M | $10M | $10.2M |
| Jun 2023 (990) | $28.4M | $13.5M | $7.5M | $10.9M |
Total assets fell 16% from Jun 2021 to Jun 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Median SBA 7(a) loan it approved, FY2020–FY2026 | $250,000 (110 loans) | All 7(a) lenders in California: $270,000. Larger than the median loan of 69% of the 97 other certified CDFIs with 10 or more 7(a) loans. |
| Variable-rate 7(a) loans: rate over prime at approval, FY2024–26 | median 2.75 pts, half between 2.75 pts and 4 pts (66 loans; 0% at the SBA maximum) | All lenders in California: median 2.75 pts, 14% at the maximum (17,889 loans). |
| SBA approvals, FY2023–24 → FY2025–26 | 58 → 26 | Rank among the 21 certified CDFIs in California with SBA approvals in either period: 3 → 4. |
| 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. |
| Total assets, latest IRS Form 990 | $28.4M | Larger than 70% of the 47 other certified loan funds and venture funds in California with a matched Form 990 (median $18.6M). |
How these comparisons were worked out
| Measure | Peer group (this lender left out) | Peers | Where this lender sits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median SBA 7(a) loan | certified CDFIs with 10+ 7(a) loans, nationwide | 97 | larger than 69% |
| Rate over prime | all variable-rate 7(a) loans in California, FY2024–26 | 17,889 | median 2.75 pts vs 2.75 pts |
| SBA approvals then vs now | certified CDFIs in California with SBA approvals FY2023–2026 | 20 | rank 3 → 4 of 21 |
| Largest stated loan | other loan funds stating a maximum, nationwide | 184 | higher than 53% |
| Form 990 total assets | certified loan and venture funds with a Form 990, in California | 47 | larger than 70% |
“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. SBA 7(a) & 504 FOIA data as of 30 Sep 2026. 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 110 SBA-backed approvals for Main Street Launch in fiscal years 2020–2026 (October 2019 to September 2026):
- 110 7(a) loans as the lender: $26.3M in total (gross amount approved), median $250,000
By fiscal year: FY2020 18 · FY2021 3 · FY2022 5 · FY2023 17 · FY2024 41 · FY2025 13 · FY2026 13.
What actually happened
- Size of its 7(a) loans: half were between $150,000 and $325,000, median $250,000 (110 loans)
- Term of its 7(a) loans: median 120 months (10 years) (110 loans)
- Interest rate at approval on its 7(a) loans in FY2025–26: median 10.75%, half between 10.75% and 11.50% (26 loans; SBA's initial rate, before any change on a variable loan)
- Fixed or variable: 1% of its 7(a) loans had a fixed rate (110 loans)
- Young businesses: 54% of its 7(a) loans went to a startup or a business two years old or less (106 loans with an answer)
Descriptive only: what the SBA file records for loans this lender approved in fiscal years 2020–2026. Each figure covers at least 10 loans; with fewer we show nothing. It is not an offer, not the rate or term you would get, and says nothing about your chance of approval.
By program
- 7(a) standard (71, 65%)
- 7(a) Community Advantage (39, 35%)
Borrower industries
NAICS sector, 3 or more loans.
- Accommodation and food services (36)
- Retail trade (12)
- Manufacturing (9)
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation (9)
- Other services (except public administration) (8)
Where borrowers are
County of the borrower's ZIP code, 3 or more loans.
How this lender was matched in the SBA files: SBA lender ID 0188449: same name, state and city (SBA lists “Main Street Launch”).
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. Main Street Launch 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 Oakland and California
- Beneficial State Bancorp, Inc.Bank holding company · Oakland, CAAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Energy / solar / efficiency loans, Affordable housing development loans…Verified
- Beneficial State BankBank or thrift · Oakland, CAAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Energy / solar / efficiency loans, Equipment loans…Verified
- Habitat Community CapitalLoan fund · Oakland, CAAffordable housing development loansVerified
- ICA FundVenture capital fund · Oakland, CAEquity / venture investment, Small-business loansVerified
- Pacific Community Ventures, Inc.Loan fund · Oakland, CAOfficial list only
- TMCCommunityCapitalLoan fund · Oakland, CAMicroloans, Small-business loansVerified
Work at Main Street Launch? 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.