City First Enterprises

City First Enterprises (CFE) is a financial institution working at the intersection of financial innovation and impact investment, in the quest for a more equitable economy. We are risk entrepreneurs investing in underserved communities, centering our focus on the people and places historically overlooked by mainstream finance. 

CFE’s  lending vehicle is the Equitable Growth Fund, a loan fund designed to provide accessible debt capital to entrepreneurs, innovators and change-makers working in affordable housing, small businesses, education, nonprofits, community facilities, and commercial real estate in the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.  

The outcomes of our investments are reflected by safer neighborhoods, higher employment, increased access to quality school seats and ultimately more vibrant, healthy communities.  

City First Enterprises is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), a designation by the United States Treasury to organizations expanding economic opportunity in low-income communities by providing access to financial products and services for local residents and businesses.

CFE is a mission-driven organization that focuses on people. We work together everyday in a learning environment that is shaped by accountability and respect. We focus on working efficiently, taking smart risks, and creating real impact.