Peoplefund
ActivePublic CharityCommunity ImprovementMakes PRIs
About Peoplefund
PeopleFund creates economic opportunity and financial stability for underserved people and communities by providing access to capital, education, and resources to build healthy small businesses.
Focus Areas
small business lendingmicrofinancebusiness education and technical assistanceveteran and military-spouse entrepreneurshipBIPOC entrepreneur supportdisaster relief lendingcommunity development finance
Who They Fund
underserved small businessessmall business owners / entrepreneurs in underserved communities
Funding Style
direct financial support / loan capitalcapacity building (business education & training)
About Peoplefund
PeopleFund’s 2023 grant list centers on one theme: lending and education services for underserved small businesses, delivered through a network of community lenders across the country. The largest recent grant went to Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs Inc in Cleveland, Georgia, for $300,000, followed by $215,175 to the Economic and Community Development Institute Inc in Columbus, Ohio, for the same purpose. Those awards show a clear preference for organizations that combine financing with business support rather than standalone philanthropy. The foundation also backed Black Business Investments Fund Inc in Orlando, Florida, with $140,000 and Seattle Economic Development Fund dba Business Impact NW with $130,000, again for lending and education services to underserved small businesses. A smaller award to Wisconsin Womens Business Initiative in Milwaukee continued that pattern. PeopleFund’s own programs reinforce the same operating model: capital access, business education, and loan readiness for underserved entrepreneurs, including BIPOC entrepreneurs and military-connected founders. Across its grantmaking and programs, the emphasis stays on helping businesses secure financing, improve planning, and build stability.
What Peoplefund Funds
PeopleFund supports small-business finance and the organizations that help entrepreneurs qualify for it. In 2023, it gave $100,000 to Wisconsin Womens Business Initiative in Milwaukee for lending and education services to underserved small businesses, and $50,000 to Pursuit (NYBDC) in Albany for the same purpose. That pairing points to a model that combines capital with technical assistance. The foundation also backs community development finance. A $33,500 grant to Colorado Enterprise Fund Inc in Denver followed the same lending-and-education pattern, while $140,000 to Black Business Investments Fund Inc in Orlando extended support to a group focused on Black business ownership. Its active programs add another layer: Texas-based accelerators for BIPOC entrepreneurs and military spouses, plus disaster relief loans for Texas small businesses in active disaster declarations. Those programs show how PeopleFund connects capital access with education, loan packaging, and business planning.
How Peoplefund Gives
PeopleFund’s recent grants cluster around a median size of $130,000, with a typical range from $75,000 at the 25th percentile to $177,588 at the 75th percentile. The largest recent award reached $300,000, while several others landed between $100,000 and $215,175. That spread suggests a mix of mid-sized institutional support and smaller allocations. The 2023 recipient list shows repeated funding to the same general service model rather than repeated grants to the same organizations in the data provided. PeopleFund is a public charity and a pure DAF provider, and it also makes program-related investments. Its program listings include unsolicited access points for accelerators and lending products, including Texas small-business and nonprofit lending, BIPOC and military-connected accelerators, and disaster relief loans.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$969K
Total Assets
$70M
Total Revenue
$11.2M
Total Expenses
$10.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $75K and $178K, with a median of $130K.
25th Percentile
$75K
Median
$130K
75th Percentile
$178K
Geographic Reach
National7 states funded
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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