Fresno Community Development Financial Institution
United States
Last updated November 30, 2012
Partner Description:
Fresno Community Development Financial Institution (Fresno CDFI) provides affordable financing, training and technical assistance to individuals, small businesses and community facilities in Fresno, California. The organization offers loans up to $250,000 to help businesses increase working capital and purchase new equipment.
Founded in 2007 by a community action agency called Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC), it focuses on low- and moderate-income groups. To date, these two organizations have issued over 300 loans totaling over $7.8 million to improve their clients’ quality of life.
Kiva lenders’ funds are used to expand Fresno CDFI’s microenterprise loan fund with a focus on loans under $10,000. This is of particular importance to Fresno CDFI because it was initially created with the intention of serving borrowers in need of smaller loans.
Fresno CDFI’s Impact:
Fresno CDFI loan offerings include refugee microenterprise loans, enterprise development loans, community facility loans, employee emergency loans and more. The organization’s loan products are designed to match the needs and of the clients considering their affordability. For example, the refugee microenterprise loan is specifically designed for refugees with weak or no credit history, who may lack sufficient collateral. Enterprise and Community Development loans provide up to $250,000 designed for micro enterprises to expand their business.
In addition, the organization provides specialized business development accounts, technology training and business development training that include a corporate turnaround toolkit to help business evaluate and restructure debt.
Since 2009, Fresno CDFI has continuously expanded its loan products and technical assistance in order to meet the needs of its members. To date, Fresno CDFI has deployed 240 commercial loans totaling over $6.7 million to micro- and small-businesses throughout the San Joaquin Valley. These loans ranged from $1,600 to $250,000 and targeted low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs.

A business owner who used a loan from Fresno CDFI to expand her inventory and hire a part-time employee.
Working with CAMEO:
Fresno CDFI has partnered with Kiva and CAMEO (California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity) to promote microlending in California. In this partnership, CAMEO serves to support California microlenders, such as Fresno CDFI, throughout its partnership with Kiva.
About CAMEO:
CAMEO’s mission is to grow a healthy, vibrant, thriving environment for all entrepreneurs and start-up businesses by advancing the work of its statewide member network. CAMEO believes a strong local entrepreneurial climate builds wealth and develops strong California communities.
CAMEO’s member organizations, a network of 55 training and 35 lending institutions, provide entrepreneurs with small and micro-business financing, asset-building programs, business technical assistance and business management training. In 2011, CAMEO members served 21,000 very small businesses with training, business and credit assistance and loans. These firms -- largely start-ups with less than five employees -- supported or created 37,000 new jobs in California.
CAMEO considers itself the voice of micro-business in California and nationally to promote the economic impacts of micro-business and self-employment. CAMEO serves to expand resources and build the capacity of its member organizations to increase business assistance and lending to underserved communities.
The CAMEO-Kiva collaboration brings new resources, investors and loan capital into the California micro sector and promotes best practices among microlenders by demanding high standards along with training. The Kiva brand will bring more attention to the economic impact of micro-business. As the largest network of microlenders in California, CAMEO is pleased to partner with Kiva to expand microlending in California.

Image courtesy of Fresno CDFI.
Partner Description:
Fresno Community Development Financial Institution (Fresno CDFI) provides affordable financing, training and technical assistance to individuals, small businesses and community facilities in Fresno, California. The organization offers loans up to $250,000 to help businesses increase working capital and purchase new equipment.
Founded in 2007 by a community action agency called Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC), it focuses on low- and moderate-income groups. To date, these two organizations have issued over 300 loans totaling over $7.8 million to improve their clients’ quality of life.
Kiva lenders’ funds are used to expand Fresno CDFI’s microenterprise loan fund with a focus on loans under $10,000. This is of particular importance to Fresno CDFI because it was initially created with the intention of serving borrowers in need of smaller loans.
Fresno CDFI’s Impact:
Fresno CDFI loan offerings include refugee microenterprise loans, enterprise development loans, community facility loans, employee emergency loans and more. The organization’s loan products are designed to match the needs and of the clients considering their affordability. For example, the refugee microenterprise loan is specifically designed for refugees with weak or no credit history, who may lack sufficient collateral. Enterprise and Community Development loans provide up to $250,000 designed for micro enterprises to expand their business.
In addition, the organization provides specialized business development accounts, technology training and business development training that include a corporate turnaround toolkit to help business evaluate and restructure debt.
Since 2009, Fresno CDFI has continuously expanded its loan products and technical assistance in order to meet the needs of its members. To date, Fresno CDFI has deployed 240 commercial loans totaling over $6.7 million to micro- and small-businesses throughout the San Joaquin Valley. These loans ranged from $1,600 to $250,000 and targeted low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs.

A business owner who used a loan from Fresno CDFI to expand her inventory and hire a part-time employee.
Working with CAMEO:
Fresno CDFI has partnered with Kiva and CAMEO (California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity) to promote microlending in California. In this partnership, CAMEO serves to support California microlenders, such as Fresno CDFI, throughout its partnership with Kiva.
About CAMEO:
CAMEO’s mission is to grow a healthy, vibrant, thriving environment for all entrepreneurs and start-up businesses by advancing the work of its statewide member network. CAMEO believes a strong local entrepreneurial climate builds wealth and develops strong California communities.
CAMEO’s member organizations, a network of 55 training and 35 lending institutions, provide entrepreneurs with small and micro-business financing, asset-building programs, business technical assistance and business management training. In 2011, CAMEO members served 21,000 very small businesses with training, business and credit assistance and loans. These firms -- largely start-ups with less than five employees -- supported or created 37,000 new jobs in California.
CAMEO considers itself the voice of micro-business in California and nationally to promote the economic impacts of micro-business and self-employment. CAMEO serves to expand resources and build the capacity of its member organizations to increase business assistance and lending to underserved communities.
The CAMEO-Kiva collaboration brings new resources, investors and loan capital into the California micro sector and promotes best practices among microlenders by demanding high standards along with training. The Kiva brand will bring more attention to the economic impact of micro-business. As the largest network of microlenders in California, CAMEO is pleased to partner with Kiva to expand microlending in California.

Image courtesy of Fresno CDFI.
| This Field Partner | All Kiva Partners | ||
| Start Date On Kiva | Dec 13, 2012 | Oct 12, 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Loans | $36,100 | $425,884,350 | |
| Amount of Raised Inactive Loans | $0 | $237,075 | |
| Number Of Raised Inactive Loans | 0 | 230 | |
| Amount of Paying Back Loans | $36,100 | $93,843,525 | |
| Number Of Paying Back Loans | 7 | 101,372 | |
| Amount of Ended Loans | $0 | $331,803,750 | |
| Number Of Ended Loans | 0 | 435,035 | |
| Delinquency Rate | 0.00% | 2.02% | |
| Amount In Arrears | $0 | $1,216,011 | |
| Outstanding Portfolio | $35,122 | $60,072,158 | |
| Number of Loans Delinquent | 0 | 9,818 | |
| Default Rate | 0.00% | 0.97% | |
| Amount of Ended Loans Defaulted | $0 | $3,220,059 | |
| Amount of Ended Loans | $0 | $331,803,750 | |
| Number Of Ended Loans Defaulted | 0 | 9,823 | |
| Currency Exchange Loss Rate | 0.00% | 0.02% | |
| Amount of Currency Exchange Loss | $0 | $77,435 | |
| Refund Rate | 0.00% | 0.96% | |
| Amount of Refunded Loans | $0 | $4,068,925 | |
| Number Of Refunded Loans | 0 | 4,589 |
| This Field Partner | All Kiva Partners | ||
| Loans To Women Entrepreneurs | 42.86% | 74.03% | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Loan Size | $5,157 | $407 | |
| Average Individual Loan Size | $5,157 | $646 | |
| Average Group Loan Size | $0 | $1,743 | |
| Average Number Of Entrepreneurs Per Group | 0 | 8 | |
| Average GDP Per Capita (PPP) in Local Country | $47,000 | $3,347 | |
| Average Loan Size / GDP Per Capita (PPP) | 10.97% | 12.16% | |
| Average Time To Fund A Loan | 3.83 days | 4.69 days | |
| Average Dollars Raised Per Day Per Loan | $1,347.26 | $86.82 | |
| Average Loan Term | 27 months | 9.61 months |
| This Field Partner | All Kiva Partners | ||
| Total Journals | 1 | 203,367 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journaling Rate | 0.00% | 39.95% | |
| Average Number Of Comments Per Journal | 0.00 | 0.11 | |
| Average Number Of Recommendations Per Journal | 1.00 | 2.72 |
| This Field Partner | Median for MFI Peers in Country | All Kiva Partners | ||
| Portfolio Yield | N/A | N/A | 35.02% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Profitability (Return on Assets) | N/A | N/A | -0.38% | |
| Average Loan Size (% of Per Capita Income) | N/A | 23.90% | 46.53% |
- Country:
- United States
- Capital:
- Washington, DC
- Official Language:
- Languages Spoken (2000 census): English 82.1% Spanish 10.7% Other Indo-European 3.8% Asian and Pacific island 2.7% other 0.7%
- Population:
- 307,212,123
- Avg Annual Income:
- $47,000
- Labor Force:
- Farming, Forestry, and Fishing: 0.6% Manufacturing, Extraction, Transportation, and Crafts: 22.6% Managerial, Professional, and Technical: 35.5% Sales and Office:24.8% Other Services: 16.5%
- Population Below Poverty Line:
- 12.5%
- Literacy Rate:
- 99%
- Infant Mortality Rate (per 1000):
- 6.26 deaths
- Life Expectancy:
- 78.11 years
Field Partner Staff
Susan BrownAaron Hill
Jeremy Hofer
Blong Lee
Ana Medina
Hamid Salahi
Maishing Xiong

