Our Mission
The mission of Albina Opportunities Corporation is to “Inspire business opportunities and create jobs and wealth for Portland’s underserved small businesses and distressed neighborhoods.” AOC provides loans to women, immigrant, minority, and disabled-owned small businesses.
Our Values
All Albina Opportunities Corporation leaders and its staff understand that “honesty and integrity” are absolutely required to be successful in everything we do. We pledge to:
- Work hard to understand our clients’ needs.
- Provide exceptional service with superior execution to insure the delivery of the maximum benefits possible to the community and clients that we serve.
- Value our network of community partnerships and strengthen these relationships to further our mission.
- Help our clients build wealth to improve and provide long term stability to their businesses and to our communities.
- increase business profitability that create family-wage jobs for individuals and families by providing access to financial resources that can lead to greater success.
Our History
Albina Opportunities Corporation (AOC) received its 501(c)(3) non-profit tax exempt letter of determination September 15, 2006. It received initial financial investments from a variety of organizations, foundations and individuals who all share a common vision to inspire business opportunities and create jobs and wealth for Portland’s under-served small business owners and distressed neighborhoods.
In January 2009, AOC hired its first Executive Director to enable it to fulfill its mission to the community. AOC initially focused on developing business partnerships between local area lenders, business associations, micro-lenders, local and state municipalities and other governmental agencies who share in its desire to provide lending resources to Portland’s underserved and under-banked business entrepreneurs.
In February 2010, AOC received certification by the Community Development Financial Institution’s Fund of the US Treasury as a CDFI. In addition, AOC is an approved Community Development Entity (CDE).