/Investor DB

Chicago Community Loan Fund

Venture debt

Chicago · 35 people tracked

Find your way into Chicago Community Loan Fund

Sign up to see every warm intro you have to Chicago Community Loan Fund

  • Paths you didn't know you had: your email and LinkedIn already hold routes to the Chicago Community Loan Fund team. We find them for you
  • 2nd- and 3rd-degree connections: the friend-of-a-friend routes that take hours to manually find through your inbox or LinkedIn
  • Answers now, not in days: momentum is everything in a raise. Skip asking around whether someone knows someone

Days of research, done the moment you sign in, with every route ranked by how warm it is.

✨ Fox Verdict
Sign up to see your fit

Investment thesis

CCLF is a community development financial institution (CDFI) that provides responsible, flexible financing to support affordable housing, commercial real estate, and community development projects in lower-wealth and underserved neighborhoods across the Chicagoland area. Its lending leverages structures such as tax-exempt bonds, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC), and Opportunity Zone financing. The organization combines nonprofit financing with technical assistance, coaching, and knowledge transfer to build community development capacity. CCLF also manages targeted programs including the ECAP Fund providing equity for commercial developments in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and the Chicagoland Opportunity Zones Consortium, advancing equitable economic development and neighborhood revitalization.

Source: firm website, verified Oct 25, 2026.

HQ
Chicago, US
Instruments
Debt
Founded
1991
Tracked investments
6

Team · 35 people

from the firm's website
Aaron Akers· Director of Asset Management

Director of Asset Management on CCLF's Portfolio Management Team, leading loan portfolio performance, collateral review, loan servicing, and impact/compliance reporting. He joined CCLF in 2014.

Ailisa Herrera· Board Vice Chair

Board Vice Chair of CCLF, affiliated with Raza Development Fund.

Allison Butts· Senior Loan Closing Officer

Senior Loan Closing Officer and licensed real estate broker, managing the loan closing process at CCLF.

Amorita Falcon· Investor Relations Associate

Investor Relations Associate on the Finance & Accounting team, collecting financial, portfolio, and social impact data for investor compliance and grant applications. She joined CCLF in 2018.

Angela Dowell· Chief Financial Officer

CFO of CCLF, overseeing accounting, finance operations, and investor relations. A CPA, she re-joined CCLF in 2014 and was promoted to CFO in 2018.

Bob Tucker· President

President of CCLF, appointed in January 2025 after serving as Interim President, COO, and EVP of Programs. He leads the organization's strategic vision and brings extensive credit analysis and financial structuring experience, including LIHTC and NMTC transactions. He previously was General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer at Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago and a partner at Chapman and Cutler LLP.

Charles S. Walls· Board Treasurer

Board Treasurer of CCLF, retired from ComEd.

Chelsi Cicekoglu· Senior Loan and NMTC Program Officer

Senior Loan and NMTC Program Officer on the Lending Operations team, responsible for sourcing and underwriting commercial credits. She returned to CCLF in 2026 with 25 years of community development finance experience.

Daniel Gutierrez· Loan Associate

Loan Associate, joined CCLF in 2025, supporting the team throughout the lending lifecycle.

Darryl Flenoy· Senior Technical Assistance Coordinator

Senior Technical Assistance Coordinator providing technical assistance to CCLF clients, managing property acquisition and rehabilitation projects. He joined CCLF in 2021.

David Feinberg· Director of Coaching and Knowledge Transfer

Director of Coaching and Knowledge Transfer, joined CCLF in 2021. He leads technical expertise and special programs with a specialty in nonprofit real estate development including educational facilities and community centers.

DeAndre Tanner· Staff Accountant

Staff Accountant, joined CCLF in 2014, maintaining investor files and processing accounts payable.

Deborah Sabol· Vice President of People and Operations

VP of People and Operations overseeing administrative operations, IT, facilities, and HR. She joined CCLF in 2014 and holds a SHRM-SCP certification.

DeMario Greene· Director of Policy and Government Relations

Director of Policy and Government Relations, joined CCLF in 2021. He brings over ten years of policy experience across local, state, and federal government.

Erik L. Hall· Board Chair

Board Chair of CCLF, affiliated with Crescent Capital Group LP.

Holly Kavis· Asset Manager

Asset Manager, joined CCLF in 2017 and previously served as Loan Closing Officer.

James A. Norris· Director of Lending Operations

Director of Lending Operations, collaborating on CCLF's lending platform and leading loan business development. He joined CCLF in 2019.

Jeffrey Wright· ECAP Fund Director

ECAP Fund Director leading capital deployment for a $100 million initiative providing equity for commercial real estate developments in low- and moderate-income Chicago neighborhoods. He has nearly 20 years of finance experience and previously founded Gold Leaf Capital Partners.

Juan Calixto· Executive Vice President of External Relations

EVP of External Relations overseeing communications, fundraising, and marketing. A Certified Fundraising Executive, he joined CCLF in 2013 with over 30 years of nonprofit experience.

Kevin R. Goldsmith· Board Assistant Secretary

Assistant Secretary on CCLF's board, affiliated with JPMorgan Chase.

LaToya Gray· Loan Operations and Programs Manager

Loan Operations and Programs Manager providing support to the lending team. She joined CCLF in 2023.

Lemanuel McKnight· IT Manager

IT Manager, joined CCLF in 2026, overseeing technology strategy, system reliability, and cybersecurity, with over 20 years of banking and technology experience.

Lorrena Diaz· Staff Accountant

Staff Accountant, joined CCLF in 2022, assisting with finance, accounting, and investor compliance reporting.

Lycrecia Parks· Chief Risk Officer and Vice President of Portfolio Management

Chief Risk Officer and VP of Portfolio Management at CCLF since 2011, evaluating loan credit risk and handling post-closing portfolio management.

Moleska Smith· Director of Marketing and Communications

Director of Marketing and Communications, joined CCLF in 2022. She oversees marketing, communications, and public relations activities.

Patricia Y. McCreary Cannon· Board Assistant Secretary

Assistant Secretary on CCLF's board, affiliated with the Chief Judge's Office of Cook County.

Patrick Bromley· Office Manager

Office Manager providing administrative support, joined CCLF in 2025 as Office Coordinator.

Rick Guzman· CCLF Board Member; Chair, External Relations Committee

Serves on CCLF's Board of Directors and chairs the External Relations Committee; he is also Executive Director of The Neighbor Project.

Robin Schabes· Chicagoland Opportunity Zones Consortium Director

Director of the Chicagoland Opportunity Zones Consortium, coordinating project pipeline mapping, investor matchmaking, and technical assistance. She is a community economic development professional with experience across nonprofit, public, and private sectors.

Sonya Malunda· Board Secretary

Board Secretary of CCLF, President Emerita of Associated Colleges of the Midwest.

Sophia Frohna· Portfolio Management Associate

Portfolio Management Associate, joined CCLF in 2026, maintaining and deriving insights from the loan portfolio. Previously worked in Structured Finance Credit Ratings at S&P Global.

Steven Rouse· General Counsel

General Counsel for CCLF handling legal matters. He previously spent 39 years in private practice as an equity partner at Molzahn, Reed & Rouse LLC.

Taylor Jackson· Programs Manager

Programs Manager, joined CCLF in 2025 with over a decade of client services and administrative experience in nonprofit and community settings.

Valerie Thomas· Senior Loan Closing Officer

Senior Loan Closing Officer, joined CCLF in 2023. She is a real estate broker with over 20 years of commercial loan closing experience.

Wendell Harris· Executive Vice President of Lending and Equity

EVP of Lending Operations and Equity, promoted in 2025. He joined CCLF in 2013 and has grown the loan portfolio significantly, with a background in commercial banking and real estate finance.

What they invest in

from 1 of 6 portfolio companies

Circular Economy ×1Cleantech ×1Energy ×1

HQs:United States×1

Investments · 6 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path
Green Eragreenerachicago.com

Green Era operates an anaerobic digestion campus on Chicago's South Side that processes food and beverage waste into renewable natural gas and compost, serving organizations seeking to divert bulk food waste.

Circular EconomyCleantechEnergyChicago, US

Other

Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.

Deerfield Supportive LivingDemera Ethiopian RestaurantEncuentro SquareNational Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & CultureXS Tennis

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has Chicago Community Loan Fund made?
Chicago Community Loan Fund has 6 tracked investments.
What sectors does Chicago Community Loan Fund focus on?
Chicago Community Loan Fund focuses on Impact & Social Good, PropTech.
Where is Chicago Community Loan Fund located?
Chicago Community Loan Fund is headquartered in Chicago, US.

Similar investors

Featured in lists