City directory · South Carolina
CDFI lenders in Columbia, SC
5 Treasury-certified CDFIs are headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina: 2 loan funds · 1 credit union · 1 bank or thrift · 1 bank holding company. Loan details confirmed from their own websites for 4. Source: CDFI Fund list as of 21 Oct 2026.
- Certified
- 5
- Verified
- 4
- In South Carolina
- 20
Headquarters is not the same as service area: lenders elsewhere in South Carolina may also lend in Columbia. See all 20 CDFIs in South Carolina.
Loan types confirmed on these lenders' websites
- Commercial real estate loans (3 lenders)
- SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage) (3 lenders)
- Small-business loans (3 lenders)
- Auto / vehicle loans (2 lenders)
- Energy / solar / efficiency loans (2 lenders)
- Equipment loans (2 lenders)
- Home mortgages (2 lenders)
- Personal / consumer loans (2 lenders)
- Business Development Corp of SCLoan fund · Columbia, SCCommercial real estate loans, SBA-backed loans (7(a)/504/Community Advantage), Small-business loansVerified
- Midlands Housing Trust FundLoan fund · Columbia, SCAffordable housing development loansVerified
- Optus BankBank or thrift · Columbia, SCAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Energy / solar / efficiency loans, Equipment loans…Verified
- Optus Financial CorporationBank holding company · Columbia, SCAuto / vehicle loans, Commercial real estate loans, Energy / solar / efficiency loans, Equipment loans…Verified
- Caro Federal Credit UnionCredit union · Columbia, SCOfficial list only
Free help before you apply
These offices give free or low-cost advice: a Small Business Development Center or SCORE mentor can help with the business plan, cash-flow projections and paperwork most business lenders ask for, and a HUD-approved housing counselor can help with a homebuyer course, a budget or a missed mortgage payment. Some counseling agencies also lend; using their advice does not commit you to their loans. Call ahead to check hours and what they cover.
Business advice
- Columbia Area Small Business Development CenterSmall Business Development Center · 1225 Laurel Street, Columbia, SC 29201803-777-5118
- South Carolina Small Business Development CenterSmall Business Development Center · 1014 Greene Street, Moore School of Business, Columbia, SC 29208803-777-4907
- Midlands SCORESCORE mentoring · 1225 Laurel Street, Ste. 410, Columbia, SC 29201803-545-3826
- Benedict College WBCWomen's Business Center · 1600 Harden Street, Columbia, SC 29204803-705-4641
- SBA Columbia - Main office officeSBA district office · 1835 Assembly St., Suite 1425, Columbia, SC 29201803-765-5377
Housing counseling
Sources: SBA local assistance listings, read 6 Nov 2026; HUD's list of approved housing counseling agencies (open-data version last updated 9 Apr 2025). For the current list and the services each agency offers, use the CFPB's housing counselor search (it uses HUD's list) or call HUD at 800-569-4287. Offices are placed by ZIP code, so distances are approximate.
Other South Carolina cities with several CDFIs
Source: CDFI Atlas, cdfiatlas.com/states/sc/columbia/. © 2026 CDFI Atlas. Quoting with a link is welcome; republishing the pages or the compiled data is not (terms of use).