2021 In Review: CCLF Navigates Challenging Times

Continuing to persevere in a challenging year, CCLF ended 2021 with continued growth and community impact.

CCLF ended 2021 with $90,248,498 in loans outstanding to 154 customers. CCLF provided 32 loans totaling $27.7 million which created or retained 294 housing units and developed or retained 230,681 square feet of commercial real estate and community facility space. The number of jobs created or retained by CCLF borrowers totaled 297.

Also in 2021, CCLF celebrated its 30th anniversary, introduced the Communities of Color Fund, continued lending in a changing environment, received a clean audit and maintained its three star (***) AA- Aeris rating. For three decades, CCLF has worked to improve conditions in low-income communities of color throughout metropolitan Chicago. Founded upon core principles of economic justice, CCLF has prioritized equity to further its mission, vision, and organizational objectives offering flexible, affordable financing and customized technical assistance.

Since its founding in 1991, CCLF has closed 576 loans totaling $281 million which has leveraged a total of $1.6 billion. This work is made possible by a robust set of public, private, philanthropic and grassroots partnerships, who are allies in creating change for low-income communities that are critical engines for the economic progress of the entire Chicagoland region.