Over the last few years, CDFIs have experienced tremendous growth, with many new faces and voices entering the industry. As a result, one of the biggest needs we’ve heard from OFN members is for materials to help educate new staff and stakeholders on what CDFIs are, how they do what they do, why they exist, and what kind of impact the industry has had.
Our CDFI 101 toolkit aims to meet this need by providing a CDFI 101 guide, history of the CDFI industry, impact infographic, reading list, YouTube playlist, a brief glossary of organizations and annual industry events, and more!
We hope this toolkit will help practitioners — new and current — feel better connected to the CDFI industry and the common goals we all share; understand what it means to be a part of the movement built over the past 50 years; and be inspired by the industry’s roots.