Business Impact NW

Business Impact NW is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) dedicated to serving under-banked entrepreneurs. We provide coaching, classes and access to capital to community small businesses, with an emphasis on working with traditionally underserved populations – entrepreneurial low/moderate income earners, women, BIPOC, veterans, immigrants or members of the LGBTQ+ community. We have been serving the community since 1997.

We promote long-term positive economic change through financial services, business advice and training. We serve startups as well as existing businesses, and are dedicated to helping underserved entrepreneurs at every stage in their business growth. Our organization was founded as Seattle Economic Development Fund and was previously known as Community Capital Development. Business Impact NW is a certified, rated, and regulated financial institution. It is not a U.S. or state government agency.

Business Impact NW's objective is to provide financial and technical support to entrepreneurs in economically marginalized communities who would not otherwise have access to financial services. Our lending guidelines are more flexible than traditional banks because of our community impact mission. While careful in our decision-making process, Business Impact NW is able to take considered risks on underserved small businesses in order to achieve this mission.

Our loan department offers lending services in Washington State, Alaska, and Oregon. We offer business support services (training, coaching and classes) in Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska through various technical assistance programs, including the Washington Women's Business Center (WWBC), Alaska Women's Business Center (AWBC), Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC), and Oregon Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). Business Impact NW's head offices are located in Seattle, WA.