About Center for Community Self-Help
To expand economic opportunity and build wealth for low‑wealth communities by providing financing, technical assistance, research and policy advocacy that support community development and inclusive economic ownership.
Focus Areas
community developmentaffordable housingsmall business financingtechnical assistancepolicy and researchCDFI support
Who They Fund
low- and moderate-income homebuyers / first-time homebuyersrenters in need of affordable housingnonprofit affordable housing developers and service providerslow-wage workers / workers targeted by wage-increase programs
Funding Style
About Center for Community Self-Help
Center for Community Self-Help’s recent grantmaking is anchored by charitable lending, with the largest reported grant of $5,259,171 going to Self-Help Ventures Fund in 2023. That pattern continues across multiple years and related entities, showing a funder that uses capital tools rather than only conventional grants. Alongside lending, the foundation backs affordable housing development, homeownership assistance, research and policy work, and operating support for mission-aligned organizations. Two of the clearest recurring recipients are SelfHelp Ventures Fund and SelfHelp Credit Union, both in Durham, which together received multiple large awards across 2023 and 2025. The foundation also supports the Center for Responsible Lending, including a $360,000 grant in 2025 and a $300,000 grant in 2024 for research and innovation. Its portfolio points to a funder focused on community development and inclusive economic ownership, using financing, technical assistance, and policy-oriented support to move money into housing and lending systems that serve low-wealth communities.
What Center for Community Self-Help Funds
Affordable housing shows up through both development support and preservation-oriented work. In 2024, Center for Community Self-Help gave $493,750 to Self-Help CommDevelopCorp for Affordable Housing, followed by $223,750 in 2025 and $212,500 in 2023 for the same grantee. Homeownership assistance appears in Chicago, where The Resurrection Project and Lawndale Christian Development Corp each received $92,500 in 2024 for Homeownership Assistance. The foundation also funds wage-focused work: United for A Fair Economy received $14,124 in 2024 for the Raising Wages Program. On the technical and operating side, Jax Microfinance Fund LLC received $12,015 in 2024 for Operating Assistance, showing support for organizational capacity as well as direct program work.
How Center for Community Self-Help Gives
Reported grant sizes cluster around a mid-sized checkbook: the 25th percentile is $50,000, the median is $96,250, and the 75th percentile is $274,875. The pattern is not one-off; several recipients appear in multiple years, including Self-Help Ventures Fund, SelfHelp Credit Union, and the Center for Responsible Lending. The foundation makes program-related investments and also funds operating support, which fits the presence of charitable lending and technical assistance in the portfolio. Grants are reported at a regional scope, with a mix of recurring support and targeted program awards rather than a single annual grant format.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$3.3M
Total Assets
$57.3M
Total Revenue
$7.6M
Total Expenses
$5.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $50K and $275K, with a median of $96K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$96K
75th Percentile
$275K
Geographic Reach
Regional6 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Crystal German
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