At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026National Community Investment Fund is a venture capital fund based in Chicago, Illinois. Its website describes affordable housing development loans and small-business loans. Where it lends: Across the country: small towns, rural areas and urban neighborhoods.
Each point is backed by a quote further down this page. Terms change: confirm with the lender.
How to reach them and apply
| Website | www.ncif.org |
|---|---|
| Office (official list) | 25 E. Washington Street, Suite 1405, Chicago, IL 60602 |
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 | Venture capital fund (listed as “Venture Capital”) |
|---|---|
| Native CDFI | No |
| Date certified (as listed) | 17 Sep 2013 |
| RSSD ID | — (none listed) |
| Address | 25 E. Washington Street, Suite 1405, Chicago, IL 60602 Directions (Google Maps) |
| Website | www.ncif.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. Loan terms, amounts and eligibility for lending products are not stated on the pages; project loan examples were not treated as offered amounts. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordable housing development loans | — | Through direct loans, participations, and subordinated debt, we help finance affordable housing, healthcare, small business expansion, and critical infrastructure. | source |
| Small-business loans | — | We provide flexible capital to high-impact businesses, helping them grow and strengthen local economies. | source |
Loan sizes
No amounts stated on the pages we read.
Service area
Across the country: small towns, rural areas and urban neighborhoods
Since our founding in 1996, we’ve worked to expand access to capital and financial services in small towns, rural areas, and urban neighborhoods across the country
source
Borrower focus
- Low- and moderate-income / underserved
NCIF uses the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program to finance high-impact projects in low-income communities nationwide
source
Languages
- No non-English service found on the pages we read.
Online application
No online application link found on the pages we read.
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 are the smallest and the largest loans you make?
No loan amounts are stated on their website. - What interest rate and fees should I expect on your affordable housing development loans and 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. - 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?
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$19.8 million in 17 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2003–2024 (5 programs).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $900,000 |
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $4,957,678 |
| 2022 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $660,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $701,530 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,826,265 |
| 2020 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $794,500 |
| 2019 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $714,000 |
| 2019 | Healthy Food Financing Initiative, Financial Assistance | $1,000,000 |
| 2017 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $776,500 |
| 2016 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,000,000 |
| 2013 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $847,000 |
| 2012 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,453,806 |
| 2010 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $750,000 |
| 2009 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $2,000,000 |
| 2004 | CDFI Program, Technical Assistance | $45,000 |
| 2003 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,315,000 |
| 2003 | CDFI Program, Technical Assistance | $50,000 |
New Markets Tax Credit allocations
$431 million in 10 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $30,000,000 |
| 2022 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $25,000,000 |
| 2020 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $50,000,000 |
| 2017 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $55,000,000 |
| 2016 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $65,000,000 |
| 2013 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $33,000,000 |
| 2012 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $45,000,000 |
| 2009 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $60,000,000 |
| 2008 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $30,000,000 |
| 2003 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $38,000,000 |
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 Dec 2023| Total assets | $61.7M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $26.6M |
| Net assets | $35.1M |
| Total revenue | $10.2M |
| Notes and loans receivable, net (Part X line 7) | $28M |
| Program-related investments (Part X line 13) | $14.7M |
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 36-7120987, filed as “NATIONAL COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FUND IRRV TR”), 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 2021 (990) | $49.9M | $36.1M | $9.3M | $17.1M |
| Dec 2022 (990) | $57.8M | $30.5M | $5.3M | $25.1M |
| Dec 2023 (990) | $61.7M | $35.1M | $10.2M | $28M |
Total assets grew 24% from Dec 2021 to Dec 2023; notes and loans receivable rose 64%. 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 | $61.7M | Larger than 62% of the 8 other certified loan funds and venture funds in Illinois with a matched Form 990 (median $29.8M). |
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 Illinois | 8 | larger than 62% |
“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
- Allies for Community Business, Inc.Loan fund · Chicago, ILSmall-business loansVerified
- 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
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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.