At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026Spruce Root, Inc. is a loan fund based in Juneau, Alaska. Its website describes energy-efficiency loans, microloans and small-business loans. Where it lends: Across Alaska, with priority to Southeast Alaska. It says it considers borrowers with low or no credit history.
Each point is backed by a quote further down this page. Terms change: confirm with the lender.
How to reach them and apply
| Phone | (907) 586-9251 source |
|---|---|
| grow@spruceroot.org source | |
| Website | www.spruceroot.org |
| Office (official list) | 1 Sealaska Plaza Suite 400, Juneau, AK 99801 |
What their website says about applying
All loan applicants begin the process with a brief consultation call.
sourceYou’ll need to gather your bank records, tax return information, and other legal and financial 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy / solar / efficiency loans | Term: see their wording | Available loan terms range from 12 months to 15 years | 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
Spruce Root is able to make loans to people and businesses with low credit.
source - Collateral required
Yes. The amount of collateral varies with the size of the loan.
source - Business plan required
Spruce Root requires a formal business plan as part of its application process.
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 | Yes |
| Date certified (as listed) | 19 Apr 2018 |
| RSSD ID | — (none listed) |
| Address | 1 Sealaska Plaza Suite 400, Juneau, AK 99801 Directions (Google Maps) |
| Website | www.spruceroot.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. Loan amounts for the Tongass Energy Bank are described as future investment sizes; no minimum standard loan amount is stated. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy / solar / efficiency loans | $500,000 – $4M | Future investment sizes are expected to range from $500,000 to $4,000,000, but flexibility is possible for high impact projects. | source |
| Microloans | up to $50,000 | up to $50,000 for Alaska-based, for-profit businesses. | source |
| Small-business loans | up to $500,000 | We offer standard business loans to emerging and growing businesses up to $500,000 with flexible terms and repayment schedules. | source |
Loan sizes
We offer standard business loans to emerging and growing businesses up to $500,000 with flexible terms and repayment schedules.
sourceup to $50,000 for Alaska-based, for-profit businesses.
sourceFuture investment sizes are expected to range from $500,000 to $4,000,000, but flexibility is possible for high impact projects.
source
Service area
Across Alaska, with priority to Southeast Alaska
Spruce Root serves entrepreneurs and business owners across Alaska, with a priority focus on Southeast Alaskan businesses.
source
Statewide: Alaska
Borrower focus
- Native American / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian
Priorities for investing are 1) Southeast Alaska, 2) Alaskan Native communities and 3) all of the state of Alaska.
source - Rural
to provide investment capital for innovative energy projects in Alaska Native villages and rural communities in Alaska.
source - Startups
Loans may be used for start-ups.
source
Languages
- No non-English service found on the pages we read.
Online application
No online application link found on the pages we read.
Pages read (7)
- https://spruceroot.org/
- https://spruceroot.org/programs/loan-services/
- https://spruceroot.org/programs/business-support/
- https://spruceroot.org/programs/business-support/financial-wellness/
- https://spruceroot.org/programs/seacoast-trust/
- https://spruceroot.org/resources/financing-your-business/
- https://spruceroot.org/programs/business-support/business-basics/
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 is the APR, including fees, on your energy-efficiency 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 microloans and small-business loans?
Their website does not state a rate for this. - 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$994,630 in 4 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2015–2022 (CDFI Equitable Recovery Program; CDFI Rapid Response Program; Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA), Technical Assistance).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $500,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $200,000 |
| 2017 | Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA), Technical Assistance | $149,995 |
| 2015 | Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA), Technical Assistance | $144,635 |
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 | $30.4M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $5.4M |
| Net assets | $25M |
| Total revenue | $8.9M |
| Program-related investments (Part X line 13) | $24.4M |
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 45-4295940, filed as “SPRUCE ROOT 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2021 (990) | $3M | $1.3M | $3.5M |
| Dec 2022 (990) | $21M | $19.2M | $20.8M |
| Dec 2023 (990) | $30.4M | $25M | $8.9M |
Total assets grew 925% from Dec 2021 to Dec 2023. 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 | $30.4M | Larger than 67% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 990 total assets | certified loan and venture funds with a Form 990, nationwide | 449 | larger than 67% |
“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 Juneau and Alaska
- Haa Yakaawu Financial CorporationLoan fund · Juneau, AK · Native CDFIOfficial list only
- Alaska Growth Capital BIDCO, Inc.Loan fund · Anchorage, AK · Native CDFISBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage), Small-business loansVerified
- Cook Inlet Lending Center, Inc.Loan fund · Anchorage, AK · Native CDFICredit-builder loans, Small-dollar / emergency loans, Home mortgages, Personal / consumer loans…Verified
- Alaska Benteh Capital, LLCLoan fund · Wasilla, AKOfficial list only
- Tongass Federal Credit UnionCredit union · Ketchikan, AKOfficial list only
Work at Spruce Root, Inc.? Link to this page
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