“My lender assisted me in every part of the application, helping me address any concerns as they arose, preparing the application and providing summaries of my business plan and my biography."

“Craft3 supported us every step of the way. They broke down the process with clarity, offered guidance when it felt overwhelming, and helped make a dream possible," says Maria Guzman, co-owner of Orca Strength CrossFit.

“Building my adult family home has been more than a business—it’s a reflection of my passion for compassionate care, my drive for excellence, and a deep commitment to making a meaningful difference,” Julia, owner of Pinecrest, says. “Along the way, Craft3 has enabled my creativity and mentored me as businessowner.”

What began as prayer gatherings in living rooms has grown into a thriving Muslim community of 250+ members. When rising construction costs threatened Masjid Ibrahim's 16,000 square foot facility project in Bethany, Oregon, they found partners in Craft3 and Stearns Bank who provided innovative Islamic financing to help complete their comprehensive community center.

In Astoria, Oregon, the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic is building a new 26,000-square-foot medical and dental clinic that will offer nearly 19,000 patient visits annually. Backed by Craft3 and partners through a $16 million New Markets Tax Credit investment, this project will expand access to vital healthcare services and create 65 full-time jobs — demonstrating how mission-driven partnerships can improve health outcomes for rural families.

Jeffrey Kalles founded Lilac Learning Center in 2016 to support children struggling in traditional learning environments. With three Craft3 loans over five years, the center overcame financial and industry challenges, evolving into a thriving institution while staying true to its mission.

“Craft3’s Clean Water program has saved quite a few customers a lot of heartache, a lot of trouble knowing that they can get this stuff taken care of. It's really nice that they're dealing with someone that is from here and understands the Pacific Northwest.” — Chris Navarro, Doo Doo Bus Septic Service

"Working with Craft3 and BuildUp Oregon has significantly enhanced CAIRO's capacity to serve the African immigrant and refugee community," says Abdisalan Muse, CAIRO's Deputy Executive Director.

When traditional banks couldn't help with an early-stage ownership transition at a popular Astoria eatery, Craft3 stepped in with an $85,000 loan to enable one co-owner to buy out the other. This quick action helped stabilize Frite and Scoop. By saying "yes" when others said "no," Craft3 helped ensure this beloved local institution could continue serving its community.

Our stories tend to focus on the loan and what that loan enables, whether it’s a community center, a retail shop, or a construction project. For business owners, however, it’s often a lot of work to successfully apply for and receive a loan. This is especially true as many of the clients we serve are unable to qualify for bank financing and may need to do additional work to demonstrate loan readiness.

“It’s been fantastic working with Craft3. We were having a difficult time due to the delayed funding. I didn’t even think about a bridge loan until the Oregon Community Foundation recommended Craft3. Then everything was straightforward and easy. Getting that loan saved us!”

"Craft3 believed in us when the path was unconventional. Their support gave us the confidence to transform a dream into reality."

Olympia Community Solar wanted to help Thurgood Marshall Middle School transition to clean energy and lower its utility bills. A Craft3 bridge loan provided the funds upfront to install the solar project. Not only did this provide an environmentally friendly solution, but also it reduced the neighborhood’s energy burdens, allowing the school and residents to reinvest in their buildings, education, and students.

When you’ve just purchased a home, taking on another major project and expense may feel impossible. A Craft3 Home Energy Loan might be able to help.

“I think Craft3 was phenomenal. Actually, it's one of my companies that I recommend to other businesses.” — Chris Ramos, Lee’s Demolition

Un préstamo séptico antes de una falla catastrófica brindaba seguridad y tranquilidad.

When the White Center Food Bank bought a property to be a permanent home, they faced an extensive and expensive construction project. A Craft3 construction loan let them get to work and finance rooftop solar, which qualified them for a 0.5% rate reduction on their entire loan.

“If it wasn’t for Craft3 taking a chance on me and helping to fund this journey, I would not be able to offer the services that I do,” Elle, owner of Elle Mobile Salon Services, says.

AYCO, a nonprofit that serves the East African immigrant and refugee community, wanted to purchase a building that would provide stability and let them grow. A conventional loan, however, was not consistent with Islamic law. Craft3’s Shari’a-compliant Musharakah financing let them purchase an 18,000 square foot building that will become the Dream Center.

A bridge loan can make a big difference, enabling a nonprofit to get started on a project before a capital campaign is complete or grant funding has been received.

“Craft3 made the process simple and seamless. Their belief in my vision helped bring it to life.”

Divine was interested in acquiring a Pilipino grocery store that had been a community hub for decades and where she had been a longtime customer. Her limited credit history and unfamiliarity with financing were barriers. Craft3’s lending team helped Divine understand her options and supported throughout the entire process.

Aminta and Ana had run a bakery in a leased space for many years. They were motivated to purchase a building that could become a flagship location, help them build generational wealth, and safeguard against displacement. The Craft3 lending team crunched the numbers and tested financial projections so the sisters could secure a loan to let them acquire a property and finance renovations.

Craft3 uses capital to lessen the racial wealth gap and expand economic opportunity for all. We focus on making connections and enabling impacts that ripple outwards across communities and over time.

Cuando llega a la Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding (Escuela del Noroeste de Carpintería Naval) en Port Hadlock, lo primero que nota es el aroma: el aire salino de la bahía de Port Townsend mezclado con el de las virutas de madera.

Alison Perry’s experience as a trauma therapist for the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) inspired her to develop a new model for veteran services: a post-traumatic growth approach to healing that employs peer support and agriculture to engage veterans, all at a beautiful 19-acre working farm outside Bend.

In 2013, Raj Vable founded Young Mountain Tea with the goal of selling sustainably-grown teas and creating a more prosperous future for farmers in the Himalayas. Based in Springfield, Oregon, Young Mountain Tea works with a network of 850 farmers across five regions of India and Nepal.

All entrepreneurs and leaders of nonprofits face challenges during startup and expansion. Craft3 is committed to creative financing solutions that address unmet community needs, especially when conventional bank financing is not an option.

Founded in 2013, Allumia is a lighting-as-a-service company focused on energy-efficiency upgrades for commercial and industrial clients. It provides installation and financing services for lighting upgrades in small and medium sized commercial businesses, including manufacturers, sports centers and private schools.

Sundown se enteró por primera vez de Craft3 a través de una búsqueda en línea de opciones de financiación locales para su nueva empresa de alimentos. Cuando se puso en contacto con él a finales de 2019, un prestamista de Craft3 le recomendó que trabajara con el Centro de Desarrollo de Pequeñas Empresas local para elaborar un plan de negocios.

Terrell Jackson grew up working in his grandparents’ restaurant, Catfish Corner, a much-beloved fixture of Seattle’s historically African American Central District. In 2008, after more than 20 years, the restaurant, like many Black-owned businesses in the Central District, was displaced and Terrell’s grandparents retired.

The Bakaro Mall was an unassuming suburban strip mall in King County outside of Seattle. Step inside, however, and you would have discovered a bustling collection of small East African businesses and community spaces. You could buy Somali foods, textiles, clothing, or furniture, get your hair cut, or stop for a cup of coffee.

The Rockwood neighborhood in Gresham, a close-in suburb of Portland is highly diverse with more than 60 languages spoken, many foreign born and first-generation residents, and a rich array of cultures. It’s also a low-income neighborhood.

When Marisol and Sean purchased their first house in southwest Portland, they chose a property where they could build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). They were interested in the potential for an ADU to help them build wealth, increase the value of their home, save for retirement, and provide housing.

For the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation rising levels of substance abuse have brought a host of other problems including domestic violence, financial insecurity, incarceration, and overdoses. A long history of disenfranchisement, along with high levels of poverty and unemployment are important contributing factors to this public health crisis.

The Bowline Hotel sits near the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria, Oregon. Formerly a seafood processing plant, Adrift Hospitality reincarnated it as a boutique hotel that opened in 2021.

For Fort George Brewery + Public House it’s always been about more than the beer. Co-founder Chris Nemlowill explains, “Our work is about supporting the community … It’s about creating a future for our kids and our town. Astoria was a depressed community when I was growing up. I love … being part of a team that’s creating something.”

Indian tribes have always inhabited the waters of western Washington, their culture and way of life have traditionally been founded on natural resources such as seafood, wildlife and other resources of the region.

When 785 acres at the Coyote Bucket became available, KLLT naturally set out to acquire it. Craft3 provided a loan through our Conservation Bridge Fund, which provides loans to acquire sensitive lands, restore habitat and protect water quality.

Growing up on a farm taught Tanya Golden everything she needed to know about being a sustainable farmer. That’s why Tanya founded Golden Tradition Saffron Co. in 2018, drawing over 20 years of experience as an herbalist and farmer. From laying the foundations of the greenhouses and crop beds to hand picking each stem, Tanya brings joy and passion to her work.

If you were to ask Alan Evans why Helping Hands Reentry Outreach Centers are so important to Oregon’s homeless population, you might be surprised when he replies with “What better job to have than to teach someone to change their life as I’ve changed mine.”

When Randy and Danielle Strickland began CORE Restoration in 2017, their focus was on remodels and general contracting. But soon after, requests from local insurance companies and adjusters for restoration work poured in.

When Frank and Shellie purchased their 1901 Aurora home, it was in total disrepair. Having been a rental for many years, the home had not been properly cared for. But they had the vision and drive to resurrect it to its former beauty, so the couple started from scratch, stripping the house down to the studs and remodeling the entire structure.

In Harney County, they depend on each other and work together to solve problems. Five years ago, the County and School District in Burns had a big problem: inadequate heating systems that were failing.

¿Qué haces cuando tienes un ingreso fijo y encuentras aguas residuales filtrándose en tu patio trasero? Esa es exactamente la pregunta que Chris se hizo en agosto.

As part of a $7 million project to preserve and expand its Klamath Falls facility, Craft3 provided REACH, Inc. with a $3.85 million loan to acquire the Maywood Mill Site and a former bank building nearby.

When their septic system stopped working, Scio homeowners Charles and Sharon had no idea that getting it repaired would be so complicated. Contractors hired to pump out the system kept digging deeper and deeper on the property, but found that the fiber conduit pipe used to construct the original septic system had simply rotted away.

Floridalma has lived in her East Portland home for 13 years. She shares it with her son Anthony, his fiancé Shawna and their three children. The family loves their quiet neighborhood and surrounding natural wildlife.

The history of a fabric tells the history of a culture. Boro fabric is a handwoven hand-dyed fabric originally used by Japanese peasants, merchants and artisans from the 17th to 19th centuries. Kiriko is a mixture of American and Japanese craftsmanship—blending traditional patterns and heritage fabrics, each with its own unique character.

Craft3 has worked with Portland's Tender Loving Empire twice to facilitate their expansion on NW 23 in and, more recently, at Bridgeport Village just southwest of the city.

For more than a dozen years, the Sugar Shack Strip Club operated in NE Portland’s Cully neighborhood—across the street from community centers, a pediatric health clinic, school bus stops and affordable family housing. Neighbors had long hoped that this complex would go away and something focused on children and families would take its place.

Tanya loved her 1900 Central Seattle home. But she didn’t love her oil furnace, which was very expensive to run. Nor did she love the fact that her home had almost no insulation. She needed to find a way to make her home energy-efficient and cut costs.

When Terry Fischer’s toilet stopped flushing, she wasn’t sure what to do. Luckily, Hercules Hubbell from All County Operations did. They tried a few different things to get the septic working properly before it became clear that the system and drain field needed to be replaced.

Alvaro Flores-Lopez has been in the restaurant business for more than half his life. He started as a dishwasher and worked his way up to manager in Mexican restaurants. Today, Alvaro owns three profitable restaurants with his wife Edelmira.

Craft3 provided Shadia with a Home Energy Loan to seal the basement and attic, insulate the walls and install a new water heater and two heat pumps. Her Craft3 loan is repaid through her regular utility bill.