CDFIs exist to help grow local economies, provide housing, and support small businesses.
Thank you to our partners at Inclusive and CDBA for sharing data on CDFI Bank and CDFI Credit Union branch locations. In addition, about 100 of our CDFI Stories come from OFN’s story database.
CDFIs exist to help grow local economies, provide housing, and support small businesses.
Small businesses are the backbone of Main Streets across America, creating jobs, driving economic growth, and keeping communities strong. Yet, many small business owners-especially in rural areas and underserved markets- struggle to access the financing they need to start and grow. Traditional banks often overlook smaller-dollar loans, but CDFIs step in to fill that gap, providing the sub-$100K loans that small businesses rely on for working capital, equipment, and expansion. At LoanWell, we work with CDFIs to help them originate and deploy more small business loans efficiently, ensuring that capital reaches the local entrepreneurs who keep storefronts open, job opportunities growing, and communities thriving. More than 90% of CDFI small business loans are under $100K, making them one of the few reliable sources of funding for businesses that are too small for traditional banks but too big to rely on personal savings alone. The CDFI Fund is critical to making this lending possible, ensuring that CDFIs have the resources to meet the demand for responsible, small-dollar financing.
The purpose of CDFI funds are critical to the communities to be able to support people and programs such as affordable housing and financial literacy to improve the wellbeing of the community.
CDFIs fill a vital role in economic growth of communities and prosperity for all Americans. The rigor and discipline that CDFIs employ proves that you can promote opportunity for all while making wise financing and lending decisions. CDFIs operate in the Abundance mentality and are focused on creating win-win scenarios.