Washington Area Community Investment Fund, Inc. (Wacif)

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Washington Area Community Investment Fund, Inc. (Wacif) Empowering underserved entrepreneurs in Greater Washington; building an equitable, just society. Since 1987.

The Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif) advances equity and opportunity in the Washington, D.C. area’s underserved communities by providing financial capital, business advisory services, and strategic networking support to underinvested entrepreneurs. Since its inception in 1987, Wacif has deployed more than $50 million in capital, served more than 3,500 entrepreneurs with business advisory services, and helped create or retain more than 20,000 local jobs. To learn more about Wacif’s work, visit www.wacif.org.

At WACIF, our work goes beyond capital; it’s about helping entrepreneurs build stronger businesses and move forward with...
10/09/2026

At WACIF, our work goes beyond capital; it’s about helping entrepreneurs build stronger businesses and move forward with confidence.

Yesterday, WACIF Director of Credit and Risk Grace Butler joined two conversations focused on helping entrepreneurs better understand financing and prepare for sustainable growth.

At the U.S. Black Chambers National Conference Community Economic Dev. Corp and the DCSBDC & Metro Washington Bankers Group Small Business Expo at Howard University, Grace shared insights on capital readiness, lender relationships, and how mission-based lenders like WACIF can help entrepreneurs access financing that meets them where they are.

Learn more about our upcoming events via

Big news! We're proud to announce the five businesses selected for the Seed to Storefront Pilot.Pages and Volumes (a boo...
10/07/2026

Big news! We're proud to announce the five businesses selected for the Seed to Storefront Pilot.

Pages and Volumes (a bookstore at the Anacostia Arts Center), Dreaming Out Loud (a nonprofit grocer), Major Boxing, and Eatopian Eats and Dionne's Good Food (two restaurants coming together under one roof) will each receive reduced-rent retail space, technical assistance, legal support, and access to capital over the next 12 months. All but Pages and Volumes will be at The Edmonson at Barry Farm.

This is a partnership between WACIF, Building Bridges Across the River, the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, and Preservation of Affordable Housing, made possible by the Wells Fargo Foundation. Our goal is to make sure that as investment in Ward 8 grows, the people and businesses who have long called these neighborhoods home share directly in that growth.

Meet the cohort and read the full announcement: https://hubs.la/Q04zvqgD0

10/07/2026

Here are three patterns our CEO Shannan Herbert sees in entrepreneurs all the time.

1. Avoiding financial conversations because they create anxiety.
2. Trying to bootstrap everything, even when affordable financing is available. 3. Making rushed financial decisions because you're operating from fear instead of a plan.

If any of those sound familiar, you are not alone. These are patterns we hear about from entrepreneurs every single day.

The good news? Recognizing them is the first step to changing them. And you don't have to figure it out by yourself.

🔗 Connect with us at https://hubs.la/Q04xJK-M0

We don’t just track numbers; we measure transformation. Our impact is rooted in the lives we help change, the communitie...
10/07/2026

We don’t just track numbers; we measure transformation. Our impact is rooted in the lives we help change, the communities we uplift, and the businesses we help grow across the region.

With our local expertise and lending, we've created meaningful change for individuals and neighborhoods in and around Washington, D.C., for nearly 40 years.

Check out our 2025 impact report: https://hubs.la/Q04znSTb0

Your next opportunity to learn, connect, and grow is right around the corner.From networking events and certification wo...
10/06/2026

Your next opportunity to learn, connect, and grow is right around the corner.

From networking events and certification workshops to AI for entrepreneurs, vibe coding, and resources designed to help you strengthen and grow your business- there are plenty of ways to learn, connect, and take your next step this month.

Swipe through to see what’s coming up and find the opportunity that’s right for you.

Register now: https://hubs.la/Q04zfbXf0

Your business may be small today. Your vision doesn’t have to be. Meet Hyacinth Tucker, founder of The Laundry Basket, a...
10/02/2026

Your business may be small today. Your vision doesn’t have to be.

Meet Hyacinth Tucker, founder of The Laundry Basket, a veteran- and woman-owned business that started as a local laundry pickup and delivery concept and has grown into a textile services company serving government, healthcare, universities, airlines, corporations, and major events.

Her advice?
“Don’t let the current size of your business determine the size of the opportunities you pursue.”
With support from WACIF, Hyacinth has connected to capital resources, technical assistance, and relationships helping The Laundry Basket prepare for its next chapter.

Click to read Hyacinth’s story and see how WACIF turns vision into impact.

Read more: https://hubs.la/Q04z4kPg0

09/30/2026

Your relationship with banks and lenders may have started long before you ever walked into one.

For many entrepreneurs, the way their families experienced financial institutions shaped everything. Limited access to capital. Being told no too many times. Learning early on that certain systems weren't built for people like them.

Those stories get passed down. And by the time someone starts a business, they may already believe that borrowing is too risky, that they'll be turned away, or that they have to figure it out alone.

That's not a mindset problem. It's a pattern with a history behind it.
At WACIF, we want to be the institution that helps change that story.

🔗 https://hubs.la/Q04xJKSP0

The right support can make all the difference.At The HIVE, entrepreneurs don’t have to build alone. From business resour...
09/29/2026

The right support can make all the difference.

At The HIVE, entrepreneurs don’t have to build alone. From business resources and connections to a community that understands what it takes to grow, HIVE members have access to WACIF support right where they work.

Ready to find your place at The HIVE? Applications are open now, and spots are filling fast. Apply today: https://hubs.la/Q04yt-rr0

A night rooted in creativity, entrepreneurship, and community. ✨On September 17, WACIF gathered at Yeleen Beauty Makersp...
09/29/2026

A night rooted in creativity, entrepreneurship, and community. ✨

On September 17, WACIF gathered at Yeleen Beauty Makerspace for Sip, Shop & Create- an evening hosted by Rahama Wright that brought together entrepreneurs, makers, partners, and community leaders to experience the power of spaces built with small businesses in mind.

From a hands-on beauty lab experience to shopping local makers and connecting with the entrepreneurs behind the brands, the evening offered a glimpse of what can happen when creativity, resources, and opportunity come together under one roof.

That same vision is at the heart of the next chapter of the Anacostia Arts Center: a home where entrepreneurs, makers, and creative businesses can connect, grow, and build what’s next.

As we near the Arts Center’s reopening, your support can help bring that vision to life.

Support the Anacostia Arts Center Capital Campaign and help invest in the future of DC’s entrepreneurial and creative community.

https://hubs.la/Q04yzrLC0

09/23/2026

Have you ever made a financial decision that felt more emotional than logical?

That is not a coincidence. And it isn’t a personal failing.

Our experiences with money shape how we think about borrowing, saving, and even asking for help. A loan denial. A family that struggled financially. A business that didn't make it. Those experiences stay with us and show up in ways we don't always recognize.

So when an entrepreneur avoids applying for financing, it's not always because they aren't ready. Sometimes it's because they're protecting themselves from something they've been through before.

We see this every day. And it's why we do this work differently.

🔗 https://hubs.la/Q04xJKPM0

Address

2012 Rhode Island Avenue NE
Washington D.C., DC
20018

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12025295505

Website

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