Genesis LA was established in 1998 out of the office of former Mayor Richard Riordan who saw an empty space in community-driven financial efforts for Los Angeles. Today Genesis LA is certified by the US Department of the Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Community Development Entity (CDE). Through leveraging our GCIF and CDE capabilities, we have been able to support community and economic projects that breathe new life into the city of Los Angeles.

Our Philosophy

 As a CDFI, we understand the weight of our role in the financial ecosystem. Unlike traditional bank lending, we have far greater flexibility and power to provide funding for projects that do not fit the status quo of “acceptable.” However, in exchange for taking on creative projects, we also absorb the risk of ensuring that our investments will succeed and that the borrowers are able to create a return. However, not every challenge or injustice within community development can be solved by taking on debt. With this context, we carry the responsibility of ensuring every dollar is maximized to solve the problem as far as possible.

Our Approach

We continually ask ourselves, how can we do more for the communities we serve? In doing so, we seek to approach each project with an eye for innovation, co-creation, and a nimbleness unfound in traditional lenders. It is ingrained into our DNA to resist stagnancy; instead, continuously fight for new ways to invest human and financial resources to tackle the challenges underserved communities are entrenched into. Dissatisfied with the status quo, we work intimately with our partners to turn ideas into viable and financeable community development projects by guiding them through the rejections and red tape toward our ultimate goal, fulfilling the needs of our communities.