I’m a contract CFO for multiple smaller CDFIs around the US who are supporting those in our communities that are starting small businesses, trying to get financing to buy a vehicle to get to a job or earn a living in the gig economy, and small developers bringing affordable housing onto the market. No one else is making this financing available. I work to see thriving communities here in the US that make our local economies vibrant and healthy. The CDFI Fund makes that possible.
CDFIs are mission-driven financial institutions rooted in community. They exist to expand economic participation, particularly in places that have long been excluded from traditional financing systems. In many ways, BII has operated with a CDFI mindset from the start: investing in local entrepreneurs, supporting community-owned enterprises, and helping to close persistent gaps in access to capital.
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are essential to supporting businesses that serve as the backbone and cultural foundation of their communities.