# Communities Unlimited

> Communities Unlimited is a nonprofit and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) working alongside rural communities across seven states — Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama. We partner with rural entrepreneurs, water and wastewater utilities, and local leaders to build sustainable prosperity in communities facing persistent poverty, across six program areas: entrepreneurship, community infrastructure, community sustainability, housing, lending, and broadband.

## About
- [About Communities Unlimited](https://communitiesu.org/): Nonprofit and CDFI (certified 2001) working alongside rural communities across seven states — Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama.
- [What Is a CDFI?](https://communitiesu.org/what-is-a-cdfi/): A Community Development Financial Institution provides loans and financing to people and places outside the reach of conventional banks.

## Programs
- [Entrepreneurship](https://communitiesu.org/entrepreneurship/): One-on-one business consulting for rural entrepreneurs — financial management, capital readiness, and business planning, including the Wealth Builder Program.
- [Community Infrastructure](https://communitiesu.org/environmental/): Technical, managerial, and financial support for rural water and wastewater systems; Communities Unlimited is the southern regional affiliate of RCAP (Rural Community Assistance Partnership).
  - [Community Water & Wastewater Systems](https://communitiesu.org/environmental/community-water-wastewater-systems/)
  - [Private Well & Septic](https://communitiesu.org/environmental/private-well-and-septic/)
- [Community Sustainability](https://communitiesu.org/community-sustainability/): Building local leadership and sustainable local economies alongside rural communities, using the WealthWorks framework.
- [Housing](https://communitiesu.org/housing/): Rural housing solutions for homeowners, communities, developers, and contractors, including the Come Home program.
- [Lending](https://communitiesu.org/lending/): CDFI lending for rural small businesses, water and wastewater systems, and home improvement — over $45 million provided since CDFI certification in 2001.
- [Broadband](https://communitiesu.org/broadband/): Digital literacy, broadband planning and mapping, and connections to funding and providers alongside rural and tribal communities. Communities Unlimited does not provide internet service directly.

## Lending products
- [Small Business Lending](https://communitiesu.org/lending/small-business-lending/)
- [Small Farm Loans](https://communitiesu.org/lending/small-farm-loans/)
- [Pre-Development Loans](https://communitiesu.org/lending/pre-development-loans/)
- [Community Facilities Loans](https://communitiesu.org/lending/community-facilities-loans/)
- [Water & Wastewater Loans](https://communitiesu.org/lending/water-wastewater-loans/)
- [Well & Septic Loans](https://communitiesu.org/lending/well-septic-loans/)
- [Home Improvement Loans](https://communitiesu.org/lending/home-improvement/)
    They cover: Small Business, Small Farm, Pre-Development, Community Facilities,
    Water & Wastewater, Well & Septic, and Home Improvement loans.
    Home Improvement loans are available only in select Arkansas and Texas counties.]

## Learn
- [What Is a CDFI?](https://communitiesu.org/what-is-a-cdfi/): Explains Community Development Financial Institutions and how CU's financing reaches rural people and places.

## Sitemap
- https://communitiesu.org/sitemap_index.xml