At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026Vermont Community Loan Fund, Inc. is a loan fund based in Montpelier, Vermont. Its website describes farm loans, child-care facility loans, affordable housing development loans and 2 other loan types. Stated loan amounts run from $5,000 to $350,000. Where it lends: Vermont statewide. Business loan rates stated on its site range from 1% to 3%.
Each point is backed by a quote further down this page. Terms change: confirm with the lender.
How to reach them and apply
| Lending | (802) 223-1448 source |
|---|---|
| Website | www.investinvermont.org |
| Office (official list) | 7 School Street, PO Box 827, Montpelier, VT 05601 |
What their website says about applying
We encourage you to speak with us before submitting a loan application.
sourceComplete the business loan application found here.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture / farm loans | Rate: 1%–2% | Sprout loans will typically feature two years of 1% interest, and a fixed 2% interest rate thereafter. | source |
| Agriculture / farm loans | Rate: from 3% | Fixed interest rates start at 3% and vary according to project focus | source |
| Agriculture / farm loans | Term: up to 20 yr | Terms range from several months to 20 years, are project-specific | source |
| Small-business loans | Term: up to 20 yr | Terms range from several months up to 20 years, and are typically fully amortized. | 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
- Collateral required
Collateral is required to include a security interest in fixed assets, inventory and receivables.
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) | 17 Sep 2013 |
| RSSD ID | — (none listed) |
| Address | 7 School Street, PO Box 827, Montpelier, VT 05601 |
| Website | www.investinvermont.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 6 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. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture / farm loans | up to $60,000 | Sprout offers low-interest loans of up to $60,000. | source |
| Child-care facility financing | — | We provide financing for businesses, affordable housing, community organizations and spaces, and early childhood education programs when conventional lenders can't or won't. | source |
| Affordable housing development loans | — | With capital from impact-minded investors, we provide loans and support to local businesses, child care programs, community spaces, and affordable housing developers | source |
| Nonprofit / community facility loans | — | Nonprofit facilities | source |
| Small-business loans | — | Not every Vermont business can get fair financing from a conventional bank — and that's exactly who we're here for. | source |
Loan sizes
The current maximum loan amount for new borrowers is $350,000.
sourceSprout offers low-interest loans of up to $60,000.
sourceTrails offers loans from $5,000 to $350,000 for a first-time borrower.
sourceThe maximum loan amount for our agritourism loan is $50,000.
source
Range used for the size filter: $5,000 to $350,000
Service area
Vermont statewide
We’re a mission-driven, community-focused lender investing in people and places across Vermont.
source
Statewide: Vermont
Borrower focus
- Farmers / ranchers
Businesses must be owned and operated by Vermont farmers.
source - Low- and moderate-income / underserved
Increase economic opportunities for low-income, disenfranchised or underemployed Vermonters through the creation of livable-wage jobs and quality workplaces.
source - Startups
Start-up or early-stage operations with demonstrated or projected growth that are supporting Vermont's working landscape.
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.
- 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$14.8 million in 19 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 1996–2021 (CDFI Program, Financial Assistance; CDFI Rapid Response Program).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $500,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $1,826,265 |
| 2020 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $650,000 |
| 2019 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $565,000 |
| 2018 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $700,000 |
| 2017 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $686,500 |
| 2016 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,250,000 |
| 2015 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $786,840 |
| 2014 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $750,000 |
| 2013 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $535,103 |
| 2012 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $671,416 |
| 2010 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $750,000 |
| 2009 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $2,000,000 |
| 2007 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $570,999 |
| 2006 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $585,000 |
| 2003 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $247,050 |
| 1999 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $1,050,000 |
| 1997 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $500,000 |
| 1996 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $167,500 |
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 | $52.7M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $35.1M |
| Net assets | $17.6M |
| Total revenue | $3.3M |
| Notes and loans receivable, net (Part X line 7) | $29.6M |
| Program-related investments (Part X line 13) | $186,639 |
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 22-2864900, filed as “VERMONT COMMUNITY LOAN FUND 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 | Notes and loans receivable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2021 (990) | $52.2M | $17.1M | $6.3M | $27.3M |
| Dec 2022 (990) | $51.8M | $17.5M | $3M | $26M |
| Dec 2023 (990) | $52.7M | $17.6M | $3.3M | $29.6M |
Total assets were about flat from Dec 2021 to Dec 2023; notes and loans receivable rose 9%. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | $52.7M | Larger than 80% of the 449 other certified loan funds and venture funds nationwide with a matched Form 990 (median $15.6M). |
| Business loan rate its website stated (2 Nov 2026) | 1.00% to 3.00% | Prime rate that day: 7.00% (FRED DPRIME), so the lowest stated rate is 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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, nationwide | 449 | larger than 80% |
“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.
SBA loans approved
SBA data as of 30 Sep 2026The SBA's public loan data lists 7 SBA-backed approvals for Vermont Community Loan Fund, Inc. in fiscal years 2020–2026 (October 2019 to September 2026):
- 7 7(a) loans as the lender: $734,000 in total (gross amount approved), median $75,000
By fiscal year: FY2020 0 · FY2021 0 · FY2022 0 · FY2023 0 · FY2024 4 · FY2025 2 · FY2026 1.
By program
- 7(a) standard (7, 100%)
How this lender was matched in the SBA files: SBA lender ID 0466159: same name, state and city (SBA lists “Vermont Community Loan Fund, Inc.”).
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. Vermont Community Loan Fund, Inc. 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 Montpelier and Vermont
- VSJF Flexible Capital Fund L3CLoan fund · Montpelier, VTEquity / venture investment, Small-business loansVerified
- Community Capital of Vermont, Inc.Loan fund · Barre, VTEquipment loans, SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage), Small-business loansVerified
- Rutland West Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.Loan fund · Rutland, VTOfficial list only
Work at Vermont Community Loan Fund, Inc.? Link to this page
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