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.
As a Community Development Financial Institution Homewise has utilized resources available through the CDFI Fund to help New Mexicans achieve their dream of homeownership. With dollars from the CDFI Fund Homewise has provided approximately $10.5 million in amortizing loans and another $6.9 million in down payment assistance to 656 households. Of these households, 60% were under 80% AMI.
Fund program has been instrumental to Cooperative Federal’s work over the years, helping us reach more people and have a bigger impact on our local neighborhoods.
CDFIs provided necessary funding and support to communities, including small businesses. Economic opportunity is the path to a unified society.
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.