Low Income Investment Fund: Strengthening childcare businesses, strengthening communities
The Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) is a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) that mobilizes capital and partnerships to expand access to funding for more Americans.
How Low Income Investment Fund is strengthening the small business ecosystem in the United States
- Family childcare providers play a critical role in supporting working families and improving early childhood outcomes — yet many are excluded from traditional small business programs. Often home-based and under-resourced, family childcare (FCC) providers face unique challenges in accessing capital and technical support, and many do not self-identify as business owners.
- The Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) is working to change that. By offering capital and targeted technical assistance LIIF helps FCC providers stabilize and grow their operations. In doing so, they support the economic security of both care providers and working parents, while strengthening long-term community and workforce resilience.
Program overview
Our work together
- With support from Mastercard Strive USA, LIIF launched the Family Child-Care Microlending Initiative — a pilot program supporting licensed family childcare (FCC) businesses in California.
- In partnership with CDFI lender Ascendus and Working Solutions, LIIF established new strategic partnerships and expanded outreach efforts, engaging more than 2,400 providers across the state. Together, the partners deployed a tailored microloan product ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, delivering capital for license upgrades, safety repairs, and business sustainability.
- Beyond capital access, LIIF delivered targeted technical assistance, including 1:1 coaching and group sessions to more than 116 providers. A high-touch, trust-based referral model ensured seamless support from initial inquiry through loan servicing.
- Early loan activity initiated credit-building for providers and expanded access to childcare in underserved communities, advancing the program’s long-term goals of financial health improvement and scalable replication.
By the numbers
- More than 2,400 family childcare providers engaged across California
- Microloan product launched ranging from $5,000 to $100,000
- 116+ providers received targeted technical assistance
- Strategic partnerships formalized with Ascendus and Working Solutions
- Trust-based referral model implemented statewide
- Early loan activity supporting credit-building and childcare expansion in underserved communities
Become a partner
Interested in being a partner for change?
Together we can empower millions of small businesses globally with innovative digital solutions that boost resilience, growth, and inclusion. Your organization's expertise can help bring impactful programs to scale, deepen local reach, and create meaningful change in the small business ecosystem. Be part of a vibrant partner community driving real economic impact.
Kimberly Latimer-Nelligan
Low Income Investment FundWe are proud to partner with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, through the Mastercard Strive program, to launch a new financing initiative that increases access to capital for family childcare small businesses. This critical support enables LIIF to continue driving innovative solutions that strengthen these essential community anchors — small businesses that have supported generations of working families. Together, we’re investing in the long-term sustainability and success of family childcare providers, ensuring they remain a vital part of our economic and social fabric.
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