Welcome to the International Institute Community Development Corporation!
The IICDC is a subsidiary of the International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis. Founded in 2006, the International Institute Community Development Corporation (IICDC) is a certified CDFI that assists immigrants and refugees through development services and lending to start and/or strengthen businesses. The purpose of the IICDC is to engage in economic development activities that foster thriving, secure and successful neighborhoods in St. Louis and the surrounding area where low-to-moderate income people, especially immigrants and refugees, live and work.
Through our work, we promote business development and job creation in the context of an inclusive environment that harnesses the synergies of our diverse community.
Our Services
We offer a variety of services to our clients to promote the economic development of immigrants and refugees in the St. Louis region. We are a primarily lending-led organization that offers microenterprise loans ranging from $500 and up to $45,000. To date, the IICDC has financed or supported 516 businesses creating and /or retaining 730 jobs and, according to the Regional Chamber and Growth Association, we have generated over $130 million in economic impact for the St. Louis region.
Loan Products
- Small Business Loans to refugee and immigrant entrepreneurs interested in starting, strengthening, or expanding their small businesses
- Microloans to low-income women through the Peer Lending Program
- Individual Development Account (IDA) Savings Program
- Credit Builder Loans
Development Services
- One-on-one Technical Assistance to assist clients with preparing for a loan application, reviewing and improving credit score, designing a business plan, and developing financial projections.
- Financial Education Class series that covers record keeping, budgeting, accounting, marketing, and legal issues
St. Louis Related Links:
Credit Builders Alliance - October 2012 Newsletter, article featuring a IISTL client
The Economic Impact of Immigration on St. Louis - a study by Jack Strauss Simon Chair of Economics, Director of the Simon Center for Regional Forecasting, Saint Louis University
National Related Links:
Startup Business Owners Optimistic About Growth in 2013, Kauffman/LegalZoom Index Shows
The Kauffman/LegalZoom Startup Confidence Index
American Made: The Impact of Immigrant Entrepreneurs and Professionals on U.S. Competitiveness
The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur
Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Creating Jobs and Strengthening the Economy -report by the US Chamber of Commerce and the Immigration Policy Center
Immigrant Entrepreneurship: Drivers of the Innovation Economy
The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent
Immigrant Small Business Owners: A Significant and Growing Part of the Economy - report from the Fiscal Policy Institute's Immigration Research Initiative
Investing in the Human Capital of Immigrants, Strengthening Regional Economies
On the rise: Immigrant entrepreneurs
Opinion Poll Finds Micro Businesses Optimistic about the Future of their Business and Economy
Then and Now: America's New Immigrant Entrepeneurs -report by Kauffman, the Foundation of Entrepreneurship
