[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.
We are a nonprofit Chamber of Commerce that does microlending for small businesses. We work with a CDFI bank and are trying to get CDFI certification.
True core CDFIs are the leaders and support mechanisms in rural communities. They are the local trusted partners that positively impact individuals, companies and communities to build equity and hope into areas that are difficult to develop.