Champions Funding Stories and Data

Champions Funding Stories

The Story of Champions
Commonwealth Dairy
The Clarendon Hotel and Spa
Mountain Park Heatlh Center – Jesse Owens Clinic

Champions Funding Fact Sheet

At Prestamos, we support CDFIs because they are a lifeline for underserved communities, providing access to capital and technical assistance where traditional financial institutions often fall short. CDFI funding enables us to offer flexible, culturally competent lending and support services that help small businesses grow, create jobs, and build generational wealth. Without CDFIs, too many communities would be left behind in our economic recovery and growth. We are proud to be part of the solution that bridges this equity gap.

-Amber Cordoba, Prestamos CDFI, Phoenix, AZ

I believe in the power of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) because I’ve seen firsthand what access to capital-real, intentional, and responsible access-can do for small businesses, nonprofits, and communities that have historically been excluded from traditional financial systems. CDFIs aren’t just lenders. They are partners in shaping our economy. They take the time to understand the unique challenges that small business owners face when trying to grow and sustain their businesses. They don’t just look at a credit score; they look at the story behind the entrepreneur, the impact on the community, and the potential that often goes unnoticed. At Growth Partners Arizona, we align with this mission because we know that financial systems should work for communities, not against them. Supporting CDFIs means investing in businesses that create jobs, strengthen local economies, and build long-term wealth in places where it’s needed most. CDFIs are doing the work that big banks won’t, and that’s exactly why I support them. Because when capital is placed in the right hands, it doesn’t just fund businesses-it fuels movements, shifts power and transforms communities.

-Andre Whittington, Growth Partners Arizona, Phoenix, AZ

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) plays a vital role in building a strong economy! CDFIs are one of the country’s most effective examples of public-private partnership. They attract private capital to help families buy homes, schools and health centers expand, small businesses grow, and communities thrive – especially in places traditional investors don’t reach on their own. CDFIs are important partners in deploying tax credit programs, such as New Markets Tax Credits, which incentivize investments while reducing taxpayer burden. Some of America’s greatest achievements – from the moon landing (and even modern space exploration) to the birth of Silicon Valley – happened because government had the vision to catalyze private innovation and investment. CDFIs operate in that same spirit.   Every day we see how smart, targeted investments unlock opportunity and drive prosperity that benefits everyone. CDFIs are effective because they fuel American ingenuity in the places it exists, which is everywhere!

-Annie Donovan, Raza Development Fund, Phoenix, AZ

Map of Champions Funding CDFI Branches and Stories