- Community Credit Lab
CCL is being acquired by Common Future!
Common Future, a national organization working to close the racial wealth gap, is acquiring Community Credit Lab. Common Future (CF) advances racial and economic equity by incubating, co-creating, and funding community-driven solutions, and influencing key sectors to shift power and capital to those communities. This opportunity enables both field-leading organizations to shift power and capital together in an intentional way. We are thrilled to increase our ability to support borrowers and Lending Partners well over the long term through this collaboration.
“We envision a world where everyone—no matter their race or class—has power, choice, and ownership in the economy. Yet we know many people are excluded not only from opportunities to build but even from the crafting of solutions which can perpetuate harm. There are very few organizations that work directly with community partners to facilitate capital on behalf of those most excluded from our economic and financial systems— and Community Credit Lab is best-in-class.” Rodney Foxworth, CEO, Common Future
CCL and CF share a common pursuit of mobilizing capital and influence to build economic power and self-determination in excluded communities. In 2021, CCL and CF collaborated to launch three Character Based Lending Programs, expanding access to credit in historically excluded communities by using non-traditional means to assess creditworthiness.
“Community Credit Lab views our role as a facilitator, from following the guidance of the community in building Lending Programs to raising impact-first capital needed to pilot these programs; and as a platform to generate and share in dialogue about the systemic harm of the financial system and how we may influence transformation at scale. Common Future has the history, relationships, know-how, and, most importantly, trust required to truly meet the moment. We are thrilled to build on the powerful relationship we already have.” Sandhya Nakhasi, Executive Director, Community Credit Lab
Community Credit Lab will continue to exist as an affiliated 501(c)3 entity within Common Future. CCL’s goal has been to make credit affordable and accessible for communities that face discrimination through Lending Programs designed to center borrowers’ experiences and reduce or eliminate the poverty premium. The acquisition provides additional capacity and infrastructure for community-driven capital deployment initiatives . We are energized by the opportunity for continued learning and progress on a national scale in relationship with our Lending Partners and Common Future’s community partners.
CCL remains committed to transparency, collaboration, and conversation as we navigate this process. We look forward to sharing our learnings and achievements as we act, learn, adapt, and imagine. On behalf of CCL’s borrowers, Lending Partners, team, and Board, thank you for your dedication, attention, insight, and commitment to joining us in this work. The CCL team is deeply grateful for you—together, we are champions of a reimagined financial system. Press Release
About Common Future:
Common Future works to close the racial wealth gap. As a Black-led, multiracial organization, our diverse team of strategists, community organizers, financial activists, and policy enthusiasts provides capital, operational support, and strategic partnership to budding solutions addressing racial and economic injustice. This work has helped wealth-holders shift $280 million to communities of color, driving capital and attention to more than 200 community wealth-building institutions. Learn more about Common Future.
All current funding and investments with CCL will continue to enable Lending Programs and investment initiatives, and opportunities to resource CCL’s lending and future joint investment initiatives will continue. Contact development@communitycreditlab.org to discuss ways to support and collaborate. For reference: opportunities to fund the operations which enable CCL’s services and complementary initiatives for economic justice are also available with Common Future.