Thanks to a partnership with Inclusiv Business Forward, CoopFed is expanding our loan programs for entrepreneurs who face barriers accessing the capital needed to grow. If you are a small business owner in Central New York, you can fill out this interest form to find out if you qualify for loans ranging from $50,000 to $500,000.
Small Business Loans can be used to:
Inclusiv Business Forward is dedicated to increasing access to capital for small businesses throughout New York State through Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs).
Cooperative Federal joins other CDFI credit unions, such as Brooklyn Coop and Lower East Side People’s Credit Unions as participating lenders, to help deploy affordable and flexible loans ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 to small businesses who faced barriers assessing capital.
Serving small and micro businesses has been a cornerstone of Cooperative Federal's mission for more than 40 years. We were founded in 1982 as a community owned non-profit with the mission to foster social equity and economic justice in Syracuse, NY.
“Economic growth in the Syracuse region is bringing a wave of opportunity to local businesses, but small and micro businesses need greater access to capital to be part of that growth,” said Cooperative Federal CEO Christina Sauve. “Through Business Forward, we’re excited to double down on supporting our community.”
Inclusiv Business Forward launched in 2025 as a small business lending initiative thanks to a $5 million investment from New York State Empire State Development (ESD) through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). It serves as a blueprint for other states to deploy SSBCI funding to provide capital and technical assistance to promote small business stability, growth, and success. Long-term, Inclusiv Business Forward aims to expand both community impact and lending growth of CDFI credit unions.
Founded in 1974, Inclusiv empowers its member credit unions to advance financial inclusion through advocacy, education, technology, and impact investment. Inclusiv is a certified CDFI intermediary instrumental in driving private and public investment in credit unions to build wealth for individuals, households, businesses, and communities formerly excluded from the financial mainstream.