At a glance
From its website, read 2 Nov 2026Westminster Economic Development Initiative Inc is a loan fund based in Buffalo, New York. Its website describes microloans. Stated loan amounts run from $500 to $20,000. Where it lends: Programs and services for underserved residents of Western New York. It says it considers borrowers with low or no credit history. 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
| Lending | (716) 759-3275 source |
|---|---|
| info@wedibuffalo.org source | |
| Apply online | Page with the application link |
| Website | www.wedibuffalo.org |
| Office (official list) | 1432 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14213 |
What their website says about applying
you will be contacted by a staff member to discuss our loan program and application process.
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
- No or thin credit history considered
Most of our clients have a hard time accessing credit because they do not have credit history, are unable to build credit, have bad credit
source - Low or damaged credit considered
Most of our clients have a hard time accessing credit because they do not have credit history, are unable to build credit, have bad credit
source - Income limit applies
programs are available to economically-disadvantaged adults earning 80% or less of the AMI (Area Median Income).
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) | 31 Aug 2016 |
| RSSD ID | — (none listed) |
| Address | 1432 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14213 Directions (Google Maps) |
| Website | www.wedibuffalo.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. Only the microloan page describes lending; the pages do not state a lending geography explicitly beyond Western New York programs. Terms change — confirm with the lender before applying.
| Product | Amount stated | Text on the lender's site (verbatim, incl. menu labels) | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microloans | $500 – $20,000 | WEDI’s Microloans program is tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs seeking small amounts of capital ($500-$20,000) who lack access to traditional financial institutions. | source |
Loan sizes
WEDI’s Microloans program is tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs seeking small amounts of capital ($500-$20,000) who lack access to traditional financial institutions.
source
Range used for the size filter: $500 to $20,000
Service area
Programs and services for underserved residents of Western New York
WEDI's programs and services are available to underserved residents of Western New York
source
Borrower focus
- Immigrants
economic development where we work with beginning or growing business people who are traditionally underserved -- women, minorities, veterans, refugees and immigrants.
source - Minority / BIPOC
economic development where we work with beginning or growing business people who are traditionally underserved -- women, minorities, veterans, refugees and immigrants.
source - Veterans
economic development where we work with beginning or growing business people who are traditionally underserved -- women, minorities, veterans, refugees and immigrants.
source - Women
economic development where we work with beginning or growing business people who are traditionally underserved -- women, minorities, veterans, refugees and immigrants.
source
Languages
- No non-English service found on the pages we read.
Online application
Yes — the site links to an application. Apply for a loan
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 interest rate and fees should I expect on your microloans?
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$1.3 million in 6 awards from the U.S. Treasury's CDFI Fund, 2016–2022 (4 programs).
| Round year | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | CDFI Equitable Recovery Program | $500,000 |
| 2022 | CDFI Program, Technical Assistance | $125,000 |
| 2021 | CDFI Rapid Response Program | $200,000 |
| 2018 | CDFI Program, Technical Assistance | $125,000 |
| 2017 | CDFI Program, Financial Assistance | $188,000 |
| 2016 | CDFI Program, Technical Assistance | $125,000 |
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 | $12.6M |
|---|---|
| Total liabilities | $2.6M |
| Net assets | $10M |
| Total revenue | $6.9M |
| Notes and loans receivable, net (Part X line 7) | $302,684 |
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 20-4230463, filed as “WESTMINSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTINITIATIVE 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) | $5.3M | $4.4M | $4.8M | $120,626 |
| Dec 2022 (990) | $10.4M | $5.6M | $3.2M | $197,323 |
| Dec 2023 (990) | $12.6M | $10M | $6.9M | $302,684 |
Total assets grew 138% from Dec 2021 to Dec 2023; notes and loans receivable rose 151%. 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 | $20,000 | Other loan funds whose website states a maximum: median $275,000. Higher than the stated maximum of 4% of these 184. |
| Total assets, latest IRS Form 990 | $12.6M | Larger than 49% of the 39 other certified loan funds and venture funds in New York with a matched Form 990 (median $16.2M). |
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 4% |
| Form 990 total assets | certified loan and venture funds with a Form 990, in New York | 39 | larger than 49% |
“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 Buffalo and New York
- Launch New York, Inc.Venture capital fund · Buffalo, NYEquity / venture investmentVerified
- ADIRONDACK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONLoan fund · Saranac Lake, NYSmall-business loansVerified
- Alternatives Federal Credit UnionCredit union · Ithaca, NYAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Credit-builder loans, Equipment loans…Verified
- Amplify Equity, Inc.Loan fund · Elmira, NYSmall-business loansVerified
- Ascendus Inc.Loan fund · New York, NYChild-care facility financing, Credit-builder loans, Small-business loansVerified
- BOC Capital Corp.Loan fund · Brooklyn, NYEnergy / solar / efficiency loans, Microloans, SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage), Small-business loansVerified
Work at Westminster Economic Development Initiative Inc? Link to this page
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