Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF)

The Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF) is a US Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) founded in 2001 as a program of The Conservation Fund. NCIF provides lending and investment services that generate economic, social, and environmental returns, targeting small businesses and community development projects in underserved rural areas, particularly in the Appalachian region and other economically distressed communities. The fund provides loans, technical assistance, and advisory services to businesses and organizations that create jobs, promote environmental sustainability, and strengthen local economies in areas with limited access to conventional financing. NCIF's lending approach integrates economic development with natural resource conservation, reflecting its founding principle of using market-based mechanisms to advance both community prosperity and environmental stewardship.