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 are critical to our economy. They step in where banks can’t – or wont – go. They leverage hundreds of millions of private dollars every year and invest them in underserved businesses and communities, based on need and impact. This is an effective, efficient public-private solution to pressing social and economic issues throughout our country.
CDFIs are extremely effective at providing access to capital and services to communities in rural and metropolitan areas, raising and leveraging private funding, to create effective solutions to meet the most challenging needs.
As we look to the next 25 years, we remain focused on investing in entrepreneurs and communities that deserve meaningful opportunities to grow and thrive.
It has been proven over the decades that the CDFI industry has been mega critical to the flow of capital in this country, specifically in disinvested communities. By appropriating at least $354M for the CDFI Fund, this directly supports the deployment and capacity building of not only CDFIs but the millions of small businesses that hire and create jobs, erect infrastructure, rebuild neighborhood corridors, and partner across industries for improved quality of life. If we are serious about reducing the wealth gap for increased positive impacts, supporting CDFIs is extremely important.