Our History

1987-1997
Seedco was founded in 1987 as a community development intermediary with funding from the Ford Foundation. During its first 10 years, Seedco provided loans and technical assistance to community organizations focused on affordable rental housing. It also aided Historically Black Colleges and Universities in creating community developing corporations (CDCs) in Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and Texas.

1998-2004
In 1998, William Grinker, one of Seedco’s founders and a former Commissioner of the New York City Human Resources Administration, and Diane Baillargeon, the current President and C.E.O. of Seedco, took over the leadership of the organization. They led a period of significant growth by redefining Seedco’s goals to create model programs and focus on geographic targets.

During this time, we developed our operational model of providing direct services to clients by managing a network of local, community-based organizations. This model serves as the foundation for our work today. We also expanded beyond workforce development into affordable homeownership and economic development.

After the terrorist attacks on lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001, Seedco was asked by the Ford Foundation, the New York Times Foundation and others to lead a disaster recovery initiative for small businesses and their low-wage workers. Our $45 million program, the Lower Manhattan Small Business & Workforce Retention Project, was credited with saving or creating over 6,000 jobs in Lower Manhattan.

2005 - Present
In 2005, Seedco’s loan fund spun off into a subsidiary called Seedco Financial, which focuses on community development by investing capital in low-income communities. It currently has $200 million in assets under management.

Our model programs have grown and become increasingly sustainable. In 2007, our network of community-based organizations in New York City, the EarnFair Alliance, was replicated in Memphis, Tennessee to provide job development and job training services to thousands of individuals hoping to find long-term employment. Our EarnBenefits program, which connects individuals to multiple public assistance opportunities including the Earned Income Tax Credit, food stamps, and health insurance, has expanded to five cities around the country. And our National Housing Counseling Network is active in 13 states and Washington D.C. and now offers a new foreclosure prevention service.

We launched the Seedco Policy Center in 2006 to explore the policy implications of our work, and have expanded our national technical assistance consulting activities to help increase the effectiveness of government agencies, philanthropic foundations, and other nonprofit organizations.

Today, Seedco and Seedco Financial operate 15 offices in seven states and have initiatives in 15 states and Washington D.C. We look forward to expanding our model programs across the country.