Get a SAFE Loan
CENTER FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY (CEO)
IRC’s Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) is a non-profit lender specializing in making small-dollar loans. CEO is certified by the U.S. Treasury as a national Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and currently has operations in 18 states. CEO currently offers small loans tailored to meet the practical needs of working families and new Americans, including loans to build credit, buy a car, pay for training, start a business, and other use cases that support overall economic empowerment. CEO does not accept loan applications from clients directly; instead, the CEO works through partnerships with IRC and other organizations that offer financial education, and these partners refer their clients to the CEO for financing.
All CEO loan applications must be submitted with the assistance of an IRC or SAFE financial coach, but CEO makes all final decisions regarding loan approval. Please see How CEO Makes Loan Decisions for more information.
CEO loans are currently available in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington
More information on CEO and their loan products can be found at www.irc-ceo.org.
General Loan Application requirements and rates
Learn more about IRC CEO’s loan rates for credit-building, auto purchase, auto refinance, personal, education and training, and immigration here.
Before applying for a CEO loan, including credit building loans, all applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Meet with a financial coach- A financial coach can help you achieve your financial goals and assist you in completing your loan application. To contact a financial coach please reach out to SAFE here.
- Attend a Credit Education Class. Class information is located here.
- While you are waiting to schedule an appointment with a financial coach, we encourage you to get started on the items above and register for an upcoming class here!