At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026UPPER MANHATTAN EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION is a loan fund based in New York, New York. Its website describes commercial real estate loans, microloans and small-business loans. Where it lends: Upper Manhattan businesses, New York City. The business loan rate it states is 3%. You can start an application online. 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 | (212) 410-0030 source |
|---|---|
| businessinvestments@umez.org source | |
| Apply online | Page with the application link |
| Website | www.umez.org |
| Office (official list) | 55 West 125th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10027 |
What their website says about applying
Applications for the UMEZ Hybrid Microloan Program are handled online through Submittable.
sourceFor a paper submission or questions regarding the program, please email:
sourceProspective applicants are encouraged to meet with a lending officer before applying to explore the appropriateness of potential funding by UMEZ
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: 3% | Pricing: 3% | source |
| Microloans | Term: up to 4 yr | 48 months (4 years) | source |
| Microloans | Term: up to 5 yr | Loan term: 60 months (5 years) | source |
| Small-business loans | Term: up to 5 yr | 5 years, typically | 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
- Minimum credit score: 580
Any individual who owns more than 20% of the business must have a credit score above 580.
source - Minimum time in business: 2 years
Have been in operation for at least twenty-four (24) months as of the date of the application.
source - Collateral required
Personal guaranty and other collateral
source - Business plan required
Business plan that reflects an understanding of sector and project
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) | 7 Jun 2017 |
| RSSD ID | — (none listed) |
| Address | 55 West 125th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10027 Directions (Google Maps) |
| Website | www.umez.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. The business-investment-loans-test page was not used for product or amount details; it appears to be a test page. 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 | — | These are real estate secured loans for large commercial development projects that can serve as catalysts for job creation | source |
| Microloans | up to $50,000 | Loan size: Up to $50,000 | source |
| Small-business loans | $50,000 – $250,000 | Term Loans between $50,000 and $250,000 | source |
Loan sizes
Service area
Upper Manhattan businesses, New York City
offers business loans to qualified Upper Manhattan businesses to help them meet their working capital needs
source
Counties this matches: Bronx County, NY, Kings County, NY, New York County, NY, Queens County, NY, Richmond County, NY
Languages
- Spanish
Si tiene preguntas sobre los productos o servicios de UMEZ comuniquese con Moyram Espino en
source
Online application
Yes — the site links to an application. Applications for the UMEZ Hybrid Microloan Program are handled online through Submittable.
source
Pages read (7)
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. - 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$3.8 million in 3 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2021–2022 (CDFI Equitable Recovery Program; CDFI Rapid Response Program).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $1,353,446 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,826,265 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $658,000 |
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 | $79.5M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $6.3M |
| Net assets | $73.2M |
| Total revenue | $6M |
| Notes and loans receivable, net (Part X line 7) | $13.7M |
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 13-3808669, filed as “UPPER MANHATTAN EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION”), 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) | $90.6M | $70.4M | $3.4M | $17.4M |
| Jun 2022 (990) | $79.9M | $71.2M | $9.6M | $10.6M |
| Jun 2023 (990) | $79.5M | $73.2M | $6M | $13.7M |
Total assets fell 12% from Jun 2021 to Jun 2023; notes and loans receivable fell 21%. 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 | $79.5M | Larger than 79% of the 39 other certified loan funds and venture funds in New York with a matched Form 990 (median $12.6M). |
| Business loan rate its website stated (2 Nov 2026) | 3.00% | Prime rate that day: 7.00% (FRED DPRIME), so the lowest stated rate is 4 pts below 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 990 total assets | certified loan and venture funds with a Form 990, in New York | 39 | larger than 79% |
“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. Form 990 figures: IRS annual extracts (see the Form 990 section). Prime rate: FRED DPRIME.
Other certified CDFIs in New York and New York
- AAFE Community Development FundLoan fund · New York, NYOfficial list only
- Abyssinian Baptist Church Federal Credit UnionCredit union · New York, NYOfficial list only
- Ascendus Inc.Loan fund · New York, NYChild-care facility financing, Credit-builder loans, Small-business loansVerified
- Business Consortium Fund, Inc.Loan fund · New York, NYSmall-business loansVerified
- Carver Federal Savings BankBank or thrift · New York, NYCommercial real estate loans, Microloans, Small-business loansVerified
- CHURCH OF THE MASTER FEDERAL CREDIT UNIONCredit union · New York, NYAuto / vehicle loans, Personal / consumer loans, Small-business loansVerified
- Community Development Trust, LP, TheLoan fund · New York, NYAffordable housing development loansVerified
- Community Development Venture Capital Alliance, TheVenture capital fund · New York, NYOfficial list only
Work at UPPER MANHATTAN EMPOWERMENT ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION? Link to this page
Paste this into your website to show you are listed. If anything here is wrong, tell us first (how).
Something wrong or out of date on this page? Use the contact page or email contact@cdfiatlas.com and name the page.
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.