At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026Three Roots Capital is a loan fund based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Its website describes commercial real estate loans, equity investment, affordable housing development loans and 3 other loan types. Where it lends: Businesses based in Tennessee or the surrounding Central/Southern Appalachia region. It accepts an ITIN. 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
| Apply online | Page with the application link |
|---|---|
| Website | www.3rootscapital.org |
| Office (official list) | 12640 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37934 |
What their website says about applying
If you would like to begin the application process, please click the “Apply Now” button below.
sourceGovernment-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport
sourcePermission for a lender (3Roots) to pull your credit report
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.
Who qualifies, in their words
- ITIN accepted
or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
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) | 23 Jan 2015 |
| RSSD ID | — (none listed) |
| Address | 12640 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37934 Directions (Google Maps) |
| Website | www.3rootscapital.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 amounts and product-specific terms were not stated on the pages fetched. 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 | — | Placemaking Commercial Real Estate Projects | source |
| Equity / venture investment | — | Some companies aren’t ready for a loan or are otherwise a candidate for an equity investment. | source |
| Affordable housing development loans | — | Commercial loans are focused on impacting communities by creating jobs, delivering commercial goods & services, affordable housing, and supporting community facilities. | source |
| Microloans | — | Rural Microloans | source |
| Nonprofit / community facility loans | — | Commercial loans are focused on impacting communities by creating jobs, delivering commercial goods & services, affordable housing, and supporting community facilities. | source |
| Small-business loans | — | Commercial loans are focused on impacting communities by creating jobs, delivering commercial goods & services, affordable housing, and supporting community facilities. | source |
Loan sizes
No amounts stated on the pages we read.
Service area
Businesses based in Tennessee or the surrounding Central/Southern Appalachia region
Business is based in Tennessee or the surrounding Central/Southern Appalachia region
source
Statewide: Tennessee
Borrower focus
Languages
- No non-English service found on the pages we read.
Online application
Yes — the site links to an application. If you would like to begin the application process, please click the “Apply Now” button below.
source
Pages read (7)
- https://www.3rootscapital.org/
- https://www.3rootscapital.org/our-services/
- https://www.3rootscapital.org/our-services/preparing-to-apply-for-financing/
- https://www.3rootscapital.org/education/commercial-borrowing/
- https://www.3rootscapital.org/education/financing-my-business/
- https://www.3rootscapital.org/treisd-three-roots-capital-tour-newly-installed-3d-printing-equipment-in-mascot/
- https://www.3rootscapital.org/three-roots-capital-hires-new-faces-celebrates-continued-team-growth-and-leadership/
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 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. - 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$2.1 million in 3 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2017–2021 (CDFI Program, Technical Assistance; CDFI Rapid Response Program).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,826,265 |
| 2018 | CDFI Program, Technical Assistance | $125,000 |
| 2017 | CDFI Program, Technical Assistance | $125,000 |
New Markets Tax Credit allocations
$180 million in 3 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 | $85,000,000 |
| 2023 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $50,000,000 |
| 2022 | New Markets Tax Credit allocation | $45,000,000 |
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 | $176.3M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $169.7M |
| Net assets | $6.6M |
| Total revenue | $3.8M |
| Notes and loans receivable, net (Part X line 7) | $89M |
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 62-1624472, filed as “THREE ROOTS CAPITAL”), 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) | $108.5M | $3.2M | $3.1M | $54.4M |
| Dec 2022 (990) | $128.7M | $5M | $3.5M | $67.2M |
| Dec 2023 (990) | $176.3M | $6.6M | $3.8M | $89M |
Total assets grew 63% 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 | $176.3M | Larger than 86% of the 7 other certified loan funds and venture funds in Tennessee with a matched Form 990 (median $27.3M). |
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 Tennessee | 7 | larger than 86% |
“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 Knoxville and Tennessee
- Affordable Housing Resources, Inc.Loan fund · Nashville, TNHome mortgagesVerified
- BetterFiLoan fund · Chattanooga, TNCredit-builder loans, Small-dollar / emergency loans, Personal / consumer loans, Small-business loansVerified
- Carroll Bank and TrustBank or thrift · Huntingdon, TNAgriculture / farm loans, Auto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Equipment loans…Verified
- Centennial BankBank or thrift · Trezevant, TNAgriculture / farm loans, Auto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Equipment loans…Verified
- Citizens Savings Bank and Trust CompanyBank or thrift · Nashville, TNCommercial real estate loans, Home mortgages, Personal / consumer loans, Small-business loansVerified
- Copper Basin Federal Credit UnionCredit union · Copperhill, TNAuto / vehicle loans, Home mortgages, Personal / consumer loansVerified
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