Valley Economic Development Center (VEDC) is a non-profit community development financial institution in the City of Los Angeles. Today, the organization says it is the largest non-profit business development group in the Greater Los Angeles area, offering micro-loans up to $50,000, small business loans up to $700,000, consulting services, and training to small and medium-sized businesses throughout California.

Originally launched in 1976 to revitalize commercial districts in Van Nuys, California, VEDC has always held to the same objective: assisting small businesses and creating jobs. In addition to its strong focus on lending, it provides extensive training services in accounting, business survival, finance and more, as well as events and workshops.

Today, VEDC has an annual budget of $4 million, 40 employees and seven offices throughout the state. The organization reports that it disburses more than $35 million in small business loans every year. It also operates and facilitates several other impactful programs and projects, including: the SBA Women’s Business Center, the San Fernando Valley Financial Development Corporation, the Pacoima Development Federal Credit Union, and two Los Angeles Business Source Centers.

For its socially-minded efforts, VEDC has received a number of awards and honors, including the Economic Development Agency’s Economic Development Award, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Minority Champion Award, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Best Practices Award.