On October 6, the CDFI Coalition hosted a webinar featuring Sarah Ortner of the Community Infrastructure Center (CIC) and Jonathan Morgenstein of the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) to discuss resources that can help connect community-led infrastructure and distributed energy projects with capital.
The webinar explored how the CIC and Community Power Accelerator (CPA) can support Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), financial institutions, and community stakeholders in advancing projects in historically underserved communities.
The Community Infrastructure Center is a platform designed to help scale capital deployment and advance community-led infrastructure projects. CIC provides free technical assistance to community project sponsors, tools to help move projects forward, and connections to funding sources, including impact and institutional investors, philanthropy, public funding programs, and project development expertise.
The Community Power Accelerator, originally built and operated by NLR, is a free online marketplace that connects distributed energy project developers with capital providers, including banks, credit unions, CDFIs, and other financial institutions. Earlier this year, CPA was integrated into the CIC, expanding the platform’s capacity to support the development and financing of distributed energy projects that create local economic value.
The discussion highlighted resources available to help communities advance infrastructure projects and connect project developers with potential sources of financing. These tools may offer opportunities for CDFIs to engage in community infrastructure development and clean energy financing.
Webinar Materials and Contacts
Coalition members can review the presentation slides here: https://cdfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/DOE-NLR-Community_Power_Accelerator-Final-Presentation-06-Oct-2026.pdf
Zoom Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/hcbFaFqbjDXSwkttBOnpbR4SAdyV4jlulRIRYW0SqTh4TRqyZWcKaNu9ynV0-B0.ZofSLb4Zj4HHwnGj
For more information, contact the presenters:
- Sarah Ortner, Community Infrastructure Center: sortner@milkeninstitute.org
- Jonathan Morgenstein, National Laboratory of the Rockies: Jonathan.Morgenstein@nlr.gov