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People Inc. provides disaster relief services to SW Virginia after Hurricane Helene

Southwest Virginia,
Virginia

People Incorporated Financial Services
Disaster Recovery, Hurricane Helene, Rural

“Bouncing Forward” from Disasters on Hawaiʻi’s Big Island

Big Island,
Hawaii

Hawaii Community Lending Inc
Disaster Recovery, Volcanoes

PathStone: Supporting Puerto Rico’s Recovery

Puerto Rico

Pathstone
Hurricane Maria

GO Zone Story: Houston Food Bank

Houston,
Texas

CRFUSA
GO-ZONE (2005)

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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.

CDFI Investment Map

Mapped CDFI investment data (2005-2023), via the CDFI Coalition's partnership with CDFI Friendly America.

CDFI Advocacy App

Want more state data? Check out CDFI Friendly America's mobile-friendly CDFI Advocacy App for impacts from 2005-2023.

Our CDFI is housed in a non-profit dedicated to cultivating entrepreneurial leadership within underserved communities to increase their economic mobility. CDFIs are crucial to this work and bridging the gap to help entrepreneurs access funding before being able to approach a traditional lender for a myriad of reasons such as lack of credit history, being underbanked or never banking, lacking access to financial literacy resources and education around borrowing process. Being able to combine training resources with microlending support enables our org to further serve these populations in a way that best meets their needs and creates economic growth and jobs within our local communities.

Ariana Garcia, ASSETS PA, Lancaster, PA

Throughout our tenure as a CDFI, (since 2010), KyHFH CDFI has been able to support our 31 nonprofit affordable housing entities with 0-2% loans for the construction of affordable single family housing units, capital equipment, staffing needs, energy efficiency upgrades, land acquisition, infrastructure, commercial property and neighborhood revitalization. Without the funding, support and brand of the CDFI, serving low-income clients, neighborhoods and entire counties in Kentucky would not be possible. To date, Habitat in KY has provided close to 8,000 units of affordable housing that serves a population who earn 80% and below the AMI, but also, our largest client base earns 30-60% AMI. Many of our clients transition from renters to first-time homebuyers as well as moving from a pre-1976 mobile home to a traditionally built housing unit, making their lives safer, more affordable and energy efficient. Who else could provide this type of support as well as improvements to our communities than a CDFI. Without the CDFI Fund, none of this would have taken place in the past, currently or in the future.

Mary Shearer, KY Habitat for Humanity Inc., Louisville, KY

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.

Justin Straight, LoanWell, Inc., Durham, NC

We strongly support continued investment in CDFIs because they empower local economies, create pathways to homeownership and entrepreneurship, and help communities thrive. By ensuring the sustainability and growth of CDFIs, we can continue our mission to help members bank with dignity and build a stronger financial future for all.

Dawn Lamb, Commodore Perry Federal Credit Union, Oak Harbor, OH