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Building bridges between under-financed communities & the CDFI resources they deserve.

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What We Do

We help communities better understand their financing needs and guide them to a more inclusive and equitable future.

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The CDFI Friendly Process

Our strategy targets the needs in your community, based on many decades of CDFI industry experience. We adapt our process to fit the needs and priorities of the cities we work with.

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Phase 1

ASSESS & OUTREACH

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Phase 2

ORGANIZE & EDUCATE

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Phase 3

PLAN

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Phase 4

IMPLEMENT

  • Close-up of a person holding a blue pen and signing a document on a wooden table, with another person in the background.

    "CDFI Friendly America helped get my CDFI into both Bloomington and South Bend. I've had different types of deals in both of these communities, but if it were not for the CDFI Friendly model these opportunities for Cinnaire and the developers would not have happened."

    Keith Broadnax
    Cinnaire

  • Close-up of black eyeglasses on a wooden table, with a blurred person holding a white mug in the background.

    “If you are a mayor or a council member or a local advocate, you need to understand and embrace the CDFI Friendly tool because it can transform lives for people in your community.”

    John Hamilton
    Mayor of Bloomington, IN

  • "We have been successful because we aren’t working with just one CDFI, we are working with several. They all bring their focus and direction to our work, and we bring the local connection, its a big win-win for our community."

    Sam Centellas
    CDFI Friendly South Bend

Results

Highlights of the measurable impacts the CDFI Friendly strategy is making.


20

CDFIs Actively Lending

Across the 5 CDFI Friendly Communities

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More CDFI lending in Bloomington, IN

In 4 years of operation, compared to average of the prior 8 years

$24 million

In CDFI loans in Fort Worth, TX

in the first two years of operation

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