[The CDFI Fund] provides a vital funding source which enables our organization to sustain and start-up businesses in our rural SD communities. Without that support, our rural communities would die because there would be nothing to keep our young families in the communities. The opportunities they need for their careers would be gone.
CDFIs are most proximate to communities needs and provide responsible, flexible capital solutions that support new business starts, job creation / retention, financial acumen building and skills development, and delivery of critical goods and services to opportunity rich communities.
CDFIs have a demonstrated track record of success: they often leverage every federal dollar to attract up to 12 times that amount in private investment, reaching borrowers that traditional banks overlook. Whether it’s a veteran-owned business in Montana, a farm in the Central Valley, or a childcare provider in the South Bronx, CDFIs meet communities where they are, providing not only loans but financial education, technical assistance, and long-term support. This is not a partisan issue. Nearly every congressional district in America benefits from the work of CDFIs, with 92% of House districts having at least one CDFI. CDFIs are an engine of local resilience-supporting job creation, small business formation, and upward mobility.