CDFIs provide critical support that empowers communities to thrive. These financial institutions provide capital that leverages expertise and best practices from the financial services and business sectors to put capital to work in communities across the nation.
I believe in the power of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) because I’ve seen firsthand what access to capital-real, intentional, and responsible access-can do for small businesses, nonprofits, and communities that have historically been excluded from traditional financial systems. CDFIs aren’t just lenders. They are partners in shaping our economy. They take the time to understand the unique challenges that small business owners face when trying to grow and sustain their businesses. They don’t just look at a credit score; they look at the story behind the entrepreneur, the impact on the community, and the potential that often goes unnoticed. At Growth Partners Arizona, we align with this mission because we know that financial systems should work for communities, not against them. Supporting CDFIs means investing in businesses that create jobs, strengthen local economies, and build long-term wealth in places where it’s needed most. CDFIs are doing the work that big banks won’t, and that’s exactly why I support them. Because when capital is placed in the right hands, it doesn’t just fund businesses-it fuels movements, shifts power and transforms communities.
CDFIs provide a critical service to low-income entrepreneurs who are generally excluded from traditional financing to receive business training services and access to affordable capital to help them start their own microenterprises and thus improve their family’s and community’s economic stability.