Spotlight Blog

Genesis staff and board of directors standing in front of Genesis Fund's office at 22 Lincoln Street in Brunswick.

Our Story

Three decades ago, residents of neighboring communities in Midcoast Maine discovered that a local family was living in the hollow of a bridge over the Sheepscot River. What started out as a simple effort to house the family soon expanded as a broader issue came to light—the lack of affordable housing in their rural communities.
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An historic image from the 1960's of a Civil Rights march, with participants hodling signs in support of decent housing.

Addressing Racial Equity Through Our Work

There is much to be done to bring justice and equity to Black, Indigenous, and other people of color in Maine, Northern New England, and beyond. As a CDFI, the Genesis Fund is part of an industry that emerged from the civil rights movement with the explicit goal of addressing the systemic racism that has denied communities of color access
A food bank volunteer wearing a face mask loads up bags of groceries and produce for local families in Augusta, Maine.

How Genesis Responded to the Pandemic

We had just experienced one of the Genesis Fund’s most remarkable years ever, with success in 2019 across all categories: lending activity, growth of the fund through investments and fundraising, and deployment of vital professional expertise to guide nonprofit partners moving projects forward. And then came COVID-19. Businesses shuttered. Offices emptied. Schools quieted. Families facing illness, eviction, lost work, food
A property owner stands in the stairwell with a father and his children, residents of his Lewiston rental property purchased with a Genesis Fund fee-based loan created for Muslim borrowers who are prohibited from paying interest.

Genesis Offers Muslim Borrowers a Path to Ownership by Filling a Gap in the Lending Market

For aspiring business owners like Yassin Moussa of Lewiston, Maine, acquiring a loan is often a critical step in embarking on a new enterprise. But for Yassin and others who
A man and his wife stand in front of their rural rental property in Aroostook County, Maine, which Genesis is helping transfer to new owners who will keep the units affordable for renters.

Preserving Rural Rental Housing Financed by the USDA

For residents who want to “age in place” in their home communities, for members of the workforce, including parents heading single-income houses and workers with disabilities—basically, for everyone who needs
An elderly couple share a smile while standing in front of their home in the resident-owned Mountainside Mobile Home Community in Camden, Maine.

Cooperative Ownership Transforms Mobile Home Communities

Cooperative Ownership Transforms Mobile Home CommunitiesIn rural communities throughout Northern New England, mobile home communities are a key piece of the “naturally occurring” affordable housing infrastructure. But they are sometimes