cdfi

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund released a file and map summarizing core economic data for each census tract. Policymakers and practitioners should be aware of these changes for both what the data reveal about local economic trends and the impact the changes could have on future program eligibility. Importantly, tract-level economic distress is integral to CDFI certification and business eligibility for portions of Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), as well as being a common reference for federal programs that prioritize distressed regions. The new data makes numerous changes from the 2018 update, including nearly 23,000 new census tract IDs and more than 11,000 tracts with a different economic distress status.

A new report from the U.S. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund shares performance data from federally certified CDFIs for FY 2020. Just five of the CDFIs covered in the data are certified as venture funds — a sharp decline from the 14 that were included in the FY 2019 report. However, FY 2020 saw 119 transactions listed as equity investments, an increase from 90 in the prior year.

The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund announced 265 financial and technical assistance awards totaling more than $180 million this week. Awardees in the FY 2021 round have headquarters in 43 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Financial assistance awards can be used by CDFIs to support additional loans and investments to businesses in underserved communities, while technical assistance awards can be used to build the CDFI’s own capacity. Congratulations to SSTI member Launch NY, for receiving a $225,000 financial assistance award.

The Community Development Financial Institution Fund (CDFI Fund) of the U.S. Department of Treasury recently awarded more than $24.1 million in Technical Assistance Awards to 191 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). These awards were distributed through the Community Development Financial Institutions Program (CDFI Program) and the Native American CDFI Assistance Program (NACA Program). The 191 CDFI awardees represented 39 states — as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund of the U.S. Department of Treasury awarded 100 community development entities (CDEs) $5 billion in New Market Tax Credits (NMTC) earlier this month. The purpose of this tax credit program is to stimulate investment and create jobs in low-income urban and rural communities that would benefit from economic revitalization — especially amid the financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund announced $1.25 billion in coronavirus-related “rapid response” funding to 863 CDFIs. Among the recipients were SSTI members Launch NY and Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. The awards included a total of $9.4 million to seven CDFIs certified as venture capital funds; as of FY 2019, just 14 CDFIs were certified as venture capital funds, out of 934 in total (note that a fund’s certification status does not necessarily signify how the CDFI will use a new award). The full list of awards can be found here (xlsx). To receive funding through the CDFI Fund, organizations must first become a certified CDFI. Learn more at cdfifund.gov.

The federal Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund released a new report profiling certified CDFIs in FY 2019. Notably, 14 active CDFIs are certified as venture funds, an increase from just four in FY 2017. Between the periods covered by these reports, the CDFI Fund updated their certification process and received encouragement from SSTI and members to be more open to equity financial structures. The results suggest that this change has taken place. An overview of the CDFI program with insights from members who have recently received funding follows.

The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund recently announced the recipients of more than $204 million in FY 2020 funding. Much of the agency’s funding is used to support banking and lending services, but several SSTI members were among the 357 awardees. Launch NY received a financial assistance award and Invest Nebraska and Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund received technical assistance awards.

The CDFI Fund awarded $165 million in financial and technical assistance awards to 264 organizations yesterday. The awards include funding to SSTI member Launch NY and to three other groups certified by the CDFI Fund as community venture capital funds, out of applications from 432 organizations around the country. Yesterday’s announcement included an additional $37 million for organizations supporting financing for Native Americans, individuals with disabilities, and healthy food initiatives. Financial support from the fund requires community development financial institution (CDFI) certification; learn more at cdfifund.gov.

Organizations that assist and finance innovation and high-growth entrepreneurship have largely been left out of one of America’s great drivers of local investment: Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) activities by banks. Now, with the U.S. Department of Treasury actively seeking to modernize CRA regulations, the tech-based economic development community has an opportunity to help CRA to become a tool for advancing local innovation economies. All parties are encouraged to read below for more information and to submit comments by Nov. 19. SSTI members interested in discussing the notice, including the option of submitting combined or coordinated comments, should contact Jason Rittenberg (rittenberg@ssti.org | 614.901.1690) to get engaged.