Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) expand economic opportunity and increase access to capital in communities across the United States. By providing flexible, patient financing and technical assistance, CDFIs help businesses grow, support the development of affordable housing, finance community facilities, and expand access to responsible financial services in places where traditional financing is often limited.
As mission-driven institutions with deep local knowledge, CDFIs connect public and private capital to projects that create jobs, stabilize neighborhoods, and promote long-term economic growth.
The 2026 CDFI Progress Report provides recent examples of how CDFIs are strengthening American manufacturing, supporting veterans and individuals with disabilities, expanding homeownership opportunities, increasing the nation’s housing supply, and helping deliver essential community infrastructure through tax credit financing and public–private partnerships.
The report demonstrates how CDFIs leverage federal programs, bank partnerships, and private investment to finance projects that improve the lives of millions of Americans in urban, rural, and tribal communities.
Through case studies and project examples from across the country, this report illustrates the tangible impact of CDFI financing — from helping small manufacturers modernize production to enabling affordable housing development and expanding access to financial services. Together, these stories show how CDFIs serve as catalysts for new investment, unlocking private capital, addressing financing gaps, and helping communities build stronger economic futures.