You're not a traditional lender.
We're not a traditional underwriter.

We provide rigorous and human-centered underwriting for mission-driven lenders.

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OUR IMPACT

Powering mission-driven lenders since 2017.

We're a committed team of CDFI industry veterans. We don’t have investors to answer to, just you.

$419.8M+

underwritten

$55,614

average loan amount

7,548+

loans reviewed

1.6 days

average turnaround

30+

mission-focused lenders

4 sectors

small business, housing,
non-profit, climate

WHAT WE DO

Three ways we help mission-driven lenders grow.

Whether you need expert underwriting capacity, smarter internal tools, or help building your loan program, we meet you where you are.

Underwriting

Human-centered and customized to your loan policy.

Expert underwriters working inside your system, following your credit policy, with a 3-business-day turnaround. You own the relationship. We do the analysis.

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Software

The credit box was built for banks. This was built for you.

Intelligent document processing built specifically for CDFI underwriting. Skip the data entry. Get straight to the judgment.

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Consulting

Build or fix the systems your loan program runs on.

Credit policy development, process design, internal tools, and hands-on coaching. We help you build the institutional knowledge your team needs to grow.

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OUR CLIENTS

Trusted by mission-driven lenders across the country.

Testimonials (short)

“Olea has been a thoughtful and reliable partner to our coalition. Their approach is grounded in reciprocity and a commitment to learn alongside clients. This partnership with 5 Native CDFIs supported the underwriting of 32 loans totaling $8.24M in less than a year. They actively sought to learn the uniqueness of Native markets and Indigenous lending, helping to grow capacity and increase volume, which was especially impactful among our emerging lenders.”

Jael Kampfe
President, Indigenous Impact Co.
Regional Economic Competitiveness Officer, Mountain | Plains Regional Native CDFI Coalition

“When I was at Thread Capital, Olea was our go-to for disaster recovery loans. They underwrote hundreds of them after hurricanes Florence and Dorian and eventually the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, small business owners who had nowhere else to turn actually got help when they needed it most. I've worked with a lot of partners over the years. Olea is the one you want when things are on fire.”

Jonathan Brereton
Former Executive Director, Thread Capital
CEO, ScaleLink

“…Olea helped us design a streamlined, low-documentation product that got safe funding into borrowers' hands faster. Six years later, the numbers speak for themselves: 86 loans, $1.37 million deployed, and a charge-off rate of just 0.56%. We’ve accomplished a lot with Olea’s help, but this is one of the things I'm most proud of.”

Kim Preston
Lending Services Director, Center for Rural Affairs

“Olea has been a trusted underwriting partner since 2018. Together, we developed a comprehensive and cohesive set of tools…that was both tailored to our needs and aligned with broader industry standards. The result is a clearer, more consistent approach that strengthens our work with the board, lending team, and borrowers—and reflects the value of true collaboration in achieving meaningful progress.”

Rebeca Patino
Former Vice President, Fondo Adelante