Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)

Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven

With the goal of positioning New Haven neighborhoods for success, Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven focuses on increasing homeownership, ensuring homes are attractive, energy-efficient, and affordable, and building resident leadership in neighborhoods.  Since its incorporation in 1979, the nonprofit has renovated and sold nearly 450 housing units.  In 2001, NHS opened its New Haven HomeOwnership Center, which provides homebuyer and homeowner education classes, financial education workshops, and credit counseling to nearly 500 families per year.

Start Community Bank

Striving to boost the quality of life of New Haven residents, Start Community Bank provides personal and business loans that support affordable housing development and new job creation.  Its name represents the “start” of a pathway that will lead to economic and social improvements for New Haven and its residents.

Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund

The Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund (GNHCLF) aims to create and sustain vibrant neighborhoods and communities by providing flexible financing and technical assistance to area affordable housing and community development organizations and projects.  Since its establishment in 1987, GNHCLF has made $57 million in housing loans, which have funded the development of nearly 2,500 housing units.

Pay for Success: The First Generation

Dana Archer-Rosenthal

Pay for Success: The First Generation provides a look at the ten Pay for Success projects that have launched in the United States–projects that have finalized contracts and financing, and initiated service delivery as of March 2016. It offers detailed comparison of U.S. PFS projects and synthesizes observations on the market’s development to date. It is informed by Nonprofit Finance Fund’s unique and central vantage point in the U.S. Pay for Success arena. This report pulls from PFS contracts and other publically available documents, interviews with stakeholders, and incorporates information and observations gleaned by NFF through its more than five years of experience as a field builder, funding intermediary for PFS project development, and investor. It examines project goals and project design; the partners and stakeholders involved; the underlying data, evidence, and evaluation plans; the governance and investment structures, including repayment terms and investor profiles; and project costs. The report also provides key definitions for some terms, in an effort to further a common language for the PFS eld. 

CDFI Futures: An Industry at a Crossroads

Jeremy Nowak
Opportunity Finance Network
This report examines growth obstacles and opportunities within the community development financial institutions (CDFI) industry. The report was motivated by a view among many practitioners and investors that the CDFI industry is at a pivotal time of change in response to new capitalization options, ongoing operating challenges, and shifts in the external environment.

Shared Capital (formerly the North Country Cooperative Development Fund)

Based in Minneapolis, Shared Capital is a national CDFI loan fund that works to connect co-ops and capital to build economic democracy.  A cooperative association of more than 175 cooperatives in around 30 states, Shared Capital accepts donations and investments from its members and social investors, and then uses the funds to finance the creation and expansion of cooperatively-owned businesses and housing across the country.  Committed to advancing racial equity and social and economic justice, the CDFI specifically aims to fund cooperatives organized by disadvantaged communities that build economic opportunity, create living wage jobs, provide access to healthy food, and offer dignified, affordable housing.  Since its establishment in 1978, it has provided more than $40 million in total financing to more than 800 cooperative projects.

NACEDA Summit

August 29th, 2016 to August 31st, 2016
Cleveland, OH

The National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA) Summit is on the road again to a city with some of the most mature and innovative community development organizations in the country. They have partnered with the Ohio CDC Association and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress to showcase leading-edge initiatives that improve lives and build prosperity in low- and moderate-income communities. Read more about NACEDA Summit...

Texas Mezzanine Fund, Inc.

Texas Mezzanine Fund, Inc. (TMF) is a Dallas-based CDFI that helps enhance distressed and under-served communities throughout Texas by financing businesses and economic development projects.  Since its launch in 1999, the CDFI is credited with providing over $85.3 million in financing for 252 businesses, 29 affordable housing developments, and 22 nonprofit organizations—an investment that has leveraged $294 million from banks and other lenders and created 2,673 new jobs and 835 affordable housing units. Read more about Texas Mezzanine Fund, Inc....

Southern Dallas Development Corporation (SDDC)

Established in 1989, Southern Dallas Development Corporation (SDDC) aims to facilitate job creation and economic development in the Dallas region by leveraging private debt and equity, and boosting businesses’ access to capital, especially those located in distressed communities.   Since its inception, SDDC has generated $55 million in direct loans and leveraged an additional $101.5 million, resulting in a total investment of $156.5 million. Its work has supported roughly 500 businesses, creating 4,000 jobs. Read more about Southern Dallas Development Corporation (SDDC)...

Forward Community Investments (FCI)

Based in Madison, Forward Community Investments (FCI) is a statewide CDFI that aims to serve as an investor, connector, and advisor for organizations and initiatives that reduce social, racial, and economic disparities in Wisconsin communities.  It runs a community investment fund, which provides low-interest loans and technical assistance to community organizations, as well as a grantmaking fund.  Since 1994, FCI has invested upwards of $55 million in more than 100 organizations, making a difference in the lives of over 330,000 people. Read more about Forward Community Investments (FCI)...

County Corps

Founded in 1980, and certified as a CDFI in 2001, County Corps focuses on enhancing the quality of life in Montgomery and neighboring counties through improved economic opportunities.  Its housing programs include developing new affordable units, providing foreclosure counseling, and funding emergency and/or accessibility home rehabilitation projects.  In 2013, these programs were credited with creating 25 new units, rehabbing 20 existing units, and assisting over 850 households. Through its BizCap program, County Corps also provides small loans to area businesses for working capital, debt refinance, or business expansion. In 2013, BizCap approved 17 loans totaling $3.6 million, closed on 17 loans totaling $5 million, and leveraged nearly $6 million from other lenders.

Community Capital Development Corporation

With one of its two offices in Dayton, Community Capital Development Corporation (CCDC) helps small Ohio businesses secure affordable financing for growth and expansion.  Since its establishment in 1981, CCDC has approved more than $328 million in loans to over 1,100 businesses, creating more than 11,700 jobs and contributing an additional $898 million to Ohio’s economy.

Opportunities Credit Union

Committed to serving low-income Vermonters, Opportunities Credit Union aims to build wealth, community, and opportunity through a fair and affordable financial system.  Since its establishment in 1989, the credit union has served over 19,500 individuals and families, including immigrant and refugee populations resettling in Vermont under the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program.   It also conducts numerous financial education programs, including workshops and one-on-one mentoring.

Vermont Federal Credit Union

Founded in 1953 as the Burlington Postal Employees Credit Union, Vermont Federal Credit Union became a community chartered credit union in 2001, opening membership to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Chittenden, Grand Isle, Franklin, Lamoille, Washington and Addison counties.  As of 2013, the credit union held nearly $395 million in assets.  Committed to the community, Vermont Federal supports local charities, community events, youth and collegiate sports, and provides scholarships to several local students on an annual basis.

North Country Federal Credit Union

Based in Burlington, North County Federal Credit Union is a credit union open to anyone who lives, works, studies, or worships in northern Vermont.  As of 2014, North Country had nearly 34,000 members and held over $454.7 million in assets.  Committed to the community, North Country underwrites college scholarships, supports community events, and funds quality childcare for single, low-income parents re-entering the workplace.

Making the Case for Linking Community Development and Health

Edmonds et al

This report, published in partnership by the Center on Social Disparities in Health, the Build Healthy Places Network, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a "resource for those working to improve low-income communities and the lives of the people living in them." Despite growing recognition that social and economic conditions are the primary drivers of health, the fields of community development and public health remain siloed. This new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Build Healthy Places Network outlines specific opportunities to integrate the two fields and overcome barriers to collaboration. It also includes recommendations on how to measure the impact of cross-sector collaborations and refine programs accordingly.  

Colorado Enterprise Fund

The Colorado Enterprise Fund is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that finances small businesses in Colorado. We are involved in a number of community wealth building efforts, including healthy food access and local food systems, supporting local entrepreneurs and co-ops, and the Community Wealth Building Network of Metro Denver. Read more about Colorado Enterprise Fund...

Broad-Based Ownership Models as Tools for Job Creation and Community Development

Marjorie Kelly, Steve Dubb and Violeta Duncan

As cities wrestle with the growing challenge of wealth inequality, more and more leaders are looking to broad-based ownership models as tools to create jobs and build community wealth. These models are highly effective, with a positive impact for low- and moderate-income individuals and communities. This report looks at six such models—ESOPs, Worker Cooperatives, CDFIs, Social Enterprises, Municipal Ownership, and Emerging Hybrids—with examples of best practices, and explores how these models can be used in community economic development.

New Community Federal Credit Union

Founded to provide financial services to low and moderate-income and minority communities bypassed by traditional banks and credit unions, the New Community Federal Credit Union aims to serve the financial needs of current and former New Community Corporation (NCC) employees and their families, NCC residents, and parents of children at NCC schools.  Established in 1984, the credit union now has over 4,000 members.  It also provides homebuyer workshops and financial literacy training to its members and the surrounding community. Read more about New Community Federal Credit Union...