CDFI Friendly America

06/15/2026

We're one week away from the June installment in The Future of CDFIs series! On Tuesday, June 23rd, Mark Pinsky will be joined by Amber Banks of the Alliance of African American CDFI CEOs and Duanne Andrade of SELF (Solar and Energy Loan Fund). We are excited to feature this long-overdue discussion about the role that racial equity has and will continue to play in the CDFI industry.
Register now to join the conversation: https://lnkd.in/eudeZJba

05/13/2026

Missed yesterday's The Future of CDFIs webinar? You can now watch the recording on YouTube or on our website. We were fortunate to hear insights from Jeannine Jacokes and Amir Kirkwood amidst this unpredictable or unfavorable political landscape.

As Mark Pinsky said in his comments yesterday, "It is a time for urgent action in support of the Fund and the industry. It is also time to step back from the day-to-day to take a longer view."

To view the slides, resources, Zoom chat, and recording, visit: https://www.cdfifriendlyamerica.com/the-future-of-cdfis/12may2026

https://youtu.be/WNSDX5-oBfI?si=MeSLS-iVBJkhf2MI

In this webinar, Amir Kirkwood of Justice Climate Fund and Jeannine Jacokes from Partners for the Common Good reflect on what the shifting political landscap...

05/08/2026

In the past year alone, artificial intelligence has grown immensely in its capacity and prevalence, but many organizations, including , are not currently using AI in any formal way. We learned in April's The Future of CDFIs webinar that Pacific Community Ventures has been working on 2 different ways to use AI to enhance their work and serve more borrowers. We're grateful for Bulbul Gupta's leadership and intentionality as they explore what AI can do for CDFIs.

Watch the full recording of "Is AI for CDFIs?" here: https://www.cdfifriendlyamerica.com/the-future-of-cdfis/8april2026

04/07/2026

There are a lot of misconceptions about Community Development Financial Institutions ( ). Let's do some myth-busting to separate fact from fiction and get a clearer picture of what CDFIs do, and where and how they work.

04/03/2026

NCRC's Just Economy Conference is in two weeks. Our president, Mark Pinsky, will be featured in the session, "Navigating the Political Climate: The Future of CDFIs" on April 14th, 9:30-10:45 am.
If you're heading to the conference, make sure you don't miss this panel!

NCRC Community Development Fund

03/26/2026

Homeownership has always been at the heart of the American dream, but today that dream is increasingly out of reach for many Americans. This video provides a...

03/26/2026

We need your help to fund local training for a future affordable housing leader.

The team at Inner City Development and Goodwill Industries of Michiana, Inc. Excel Center are training the next affordable housing leader for our community... but they need your help!

We have earmarked NAP tax credits to help meet their goal. They have raised nearly $7,000 of a $10,000 goal and we want to offer our tax credits to donors to help meet the goal!

Details on tax credits and method to donate here: https://www.cdfifriendlysouthbend.org/donate

We highlighted this in our newsletter yesterday. If you are not getting our emails let us know and we will get you on the list!

03/26/2026

Appalachia is doing a lot with too little.

According to Inside Philanthropy, Central Appalachia receives about $93 per person in grant dollars. Rural Central Appalachia receives about $77 per person. In the Bay Area, that number is about $1,000 per person.

This is a clear reflection of where resources flow, and where they do not.

Despite this funding gap, local leaders across Appalachia continue doing the work to move their communities forward. Imagine what could happen if investment finally matched their work.

Housing Can’t Wait.

Learn more: https://www.housingcantwait.org/

03/26/2026

Did you know that we offer FREE technical assistance?

We don't just connect potential borrowers with CDFIs for financing - we also help you do the prep work. When you contact us, we will work with you to understand your project vision, help you plan, and prepare you for a loan conversation. We also have a network of partners we can connect you with if your needs are outside of our scope. We pride ourselves on walking with our clients every step of the way.

Want to get the conversation started? Reach out to us through our contact form: cdfifriendlybtown.org/contact/

03/23/2026

Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every industry, but what role will it play for ? Can AI strengthen mission-driven lending, improve impact measurement, or alleviate time-consuming tasks? What concerns and safeguards should be considered around AI?

For answers and opinions on these questions and more, join us on April 8th at 2 pm ET (11 am PT) for The Future of CDFIs Zoom Event: "Is AI for CDFIs?" Hosted by Mark Pinsky and featuring key speakers Bulbul Gupta and Sachi Shenoy of Pacific Community Ventures (PCV) and Saurabh Narain of National Community Investment Fund (NCIF).
Register now: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/veiJHF0HTsWrO-6o7Hrpgw

During this session, Ruth Barber will also share a preview of the results from FUND Community Institute's survey about AI usage in the CDFI industry. Complete their survey here: https://lnkd.in/g_yx-wRn

Register to receive an email with your unique Zoom link.