Founded as a nonprofit organization in 1996, Northland's mission is to develop innovative asset-building strategies for low-income individuals, entrepreneurial non-profits, and community economic development organizations. The Institute is an active participant in national Individual Development Account (IDA) coalitions, promotes social enterprise, and advocates ESOPs as a way to build wealth among asset-poor workers and root businesses more firmly in their communities. One key initiative it developed and now manages is the Minnesota Community Capital Fund (MCCF), which aims to increase the availability of gap-financing capital for Minnesota businesses by pooling local economic development dollars and accessing national capital markets. Since its inception in 2003, MCCF has made 91 loans totaling more than $36 million to businesses and nonprofits across the state.