Since 1996, the 173 Community Development Financial Insitutions(CDFIs) in the Federal Reserve’s 12th District have been awarded more than $133 million from the U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund.  CDFIs are essential to low and moderate income communities because they bridge the financing gap in communities where financial institutions traditionally do not or cannot invest. 

In this section, we highlight the articles we have written or commissioned on innovative and best practices in Community Development Finance from issues in the CDFI field to housing trust funds, venture capital and beyond.

Delivering Financial Return and Community Results: Pacific Community Ventures (Vol. 18; No. 1)
By Beth Sirull and Todd Schafer, Pacific Community Ventures

Lending for Rural Development Projects: Infrastructure, Community Facilities, and Affordable Housing (Vol 19; No. 1)
by Robert Longman, Credit Officer, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC), a nonprofit CDFI Loan Fund

Native Community Development Financial Institutions: Building a Foundation for Strong Native Economies (Vol 9; No.1)
By Carolina Reid

The Reinvestment Fund’s Approach to Community Development (Vol 17; No. 4)
By Jeremy Nowak, CEO, The Reinvestment Fund

State Housing Trust Funds: Meeting Local Affordable Housing Needs (Vol 17; No. 3)
by Carolina Reid 

Stuck in the Middle: Financing Workforce Housing (Vol 17; No. 3)
by John Olson

Triple-Bottom Line Investing: Balancing financial, social and environmental returns (Vol 20; No. 2)
By Jed Emerson, Managing Director, Integrated Performance, Uhuru Capital, Tim Freundlich, Calvert Social Investment Foundation, Good Capital and xigi.net, and Shari Berenbach, Calvert Social Investment Foundation

Online Community Development Finance Resources

Clearinghouse CDFI
A for-profit CDFI providing affordable and innovative financing while achieving their shareholder objectives.

Coalition of Community Development Financial Institutions
The CDFI coalition advocates on behalf of the CDFI industry and educates the general public about community development finance.

Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, U.S. Treasury
The CDFI Fund was created for the purpose of promoting economic revitalization and community development through investment in and assistance to economic development institutions (CDFIs).

Native American Lending Study, CDFI Fund,
November 2001

Community Development Venture Capital Alliance
The network for the growing field of community development venture capital investing.

Opportunity Finance Network
A network of private financial intermediaries identifying and investing in opportunities to benefit low-income and low-wealth people in the U.S.

Pacific Community Ventures
A venture and private equity investment firm focused on investing in small, high growth California businesses.

The Reinvestment Fund
A community investment group working across the mid-Atlantic region.

Rural Community Assistance Corporation
A nonprofit CDFI providing affordable and innovative financing to rural communities.

Scale and Sustainability - Aspen Institute
The Aspen Insitute’s research project on the effectiveness of the community development finance system.