Our Story
Founded in 1997, The Progress Fund is dedicated to fostering economic opportunity in northern Appalachia, including western and northern Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and northern West Virginia. Certified as a Community Development Financial Institution by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 1998, the organization primarily focuses on providing loans to underserved small businesses and microenterprises in the tourism and local food industries. With initiatives like the Trail Town Program and the Real Estate Development Initiative, The Progress Fund has expanded its impact across the region.