Opportunity Finance Network

08/27/2026

Save the date! On Oct. 20, 2026, researchers, practitioners, and community lenders from across the country will gather in New Orleans for the third annual CDFI Research Symposium.

This year’s symposium builds on lessons from 2025, when 85 attendees explored topics including CDFI growth, technical assistance, place-based impact, and outcomes measurement. New Orleans will bring new opportunities for sharing research findings, exchanging ideas, networking, and deliberating on how research can best inform practice and policy and drive community impact.

Read the recap of last year’s symposium and see what’s ahead in October:

Join us for the 2026 CDFI Research Symposium at OFN42, co-hosted by the CDFI Research Consortium at the Center for Impact Finance (CIF) at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and OFN.

08/26/2026

Today, OFN released a statement congratulating Chris Miller on his appointment as Director of the CDFI Fund.

CDFIs are an essential, proven part of America’s financial system, financing small businesses, affordable housing, childcare centers, community facilities, and local infrastructure that help communities grow.

“Chris’ firsthand experience working within a CDFI gives him an important understanding of how these institutions put capital to work financing businesses, creating jobs, strengthening local economies and expanding opportunities in communities across the country,” said OFN President and CEO Harold Pettigrew.

OFN also thanks Deputy Assistant Secretary Alexandria Smith for her leadership of the CDFI Fund as Interim Director during an important period for the industry. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Alexandria and working with Chris and the entire CDFI Fund team to strengthen CDFIs and expand the flow of capital to communities across America.

Read the full statement: https://www.ofn.org/news/ofn-statement-on-the-appointment-of-chris-miller-as-new-director-of-the-cdfi-fund/

08/25/2026

Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar that never reaches a borrower.

Like all lenders, CDFIs likely face rising rates of identity theft and falsified documentation—and tools that catch it can also replace slow manual checks, freeing staff capacity for the relationship-based lending CDFIs do best. Stronger controls, greater trust, more capital delivered.

Week 5 of 13. Read the scan: https://www.ofn.org/innovation-initiative-resources/fraud-prevention-technologies

08/19/2026

OFN is excited to expand and formalize our CDFI Executive Board Training offerings in a new, more structured and customizable format for individual organizations. Designed specifically for CDFI boards, advisory boards, investment committees, and other governing bodies, our offerings draw from OFN's established training catalog. Pricing is based on organizational asset size.

Learn more and submit an inquiry here: https://ofn.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/ /a/Rb000002Qn0j/44wjSuYchscx6kqX56IAT_u.DWey5Y4KUKQwWmRLVyw

08/18/2026

Some businesses are finance-worthy but don't fit the loan. Revenue-based financing repays as a share of revenue—no collateral required, no fixed payment when sales dip. For CDFIs revenue-based financing bridges the space between a term loan and an equity investment; for entrepreneurs it means capital that flexes with the business. Early CDFI pilots show promise.

Week 4 of 13: Read the scan: https://www.ofn.org/innovation-initiative-resources/revenue-based-financing

08/14/2026

How do CDFI loan funds manage operations through periods of change? OFN's latest Research Update takes a five-year look (2020-2024) at revenue, expenses, and staffing trends across member loan funds.

The takeaway: CDFIs of all sizes grew, but the path looked different depending on organization size. Each CDFI adapted, offering decision-makers with recent industry context so they can better navigate changing funding environments and higher costs that persist in 2026.

Read the full research update to see what's driving these trends: https://www.ofn.org/cdfi-research-update-trends-in-member-operations-revenues-and-expenses-2020-2024/

08/13/2026

A strong business can live outside a strong credit file. Cash Flow Financing looks at real-time income and expenses instead of credit scores alone—and it predicts risk just as well as traditional metrics. For small business owners without long credit histories or collateral, cash-flow underwriting would rely upon revenue histories to expand businesses' access to capital.

Week 3 of 13. Read the solution summary: https://www.ofn.org/innovation-initiative-resources/cash-flow-financing

08/11/2026

Registration is open for OFN42! Join us Oct. 20–23 in New Orleans alongside more than 2,100 CDFI practitioners, investors, funders, policymakers, and partners.

This year's theme, Opportunity Next, is all about the solutions, partnerships, and strategies that create opportunity in the communities that need it most. Don't miss this must-attend event for mission-driven lenders and partners.

Visit our conference site, book your hotel room, and register by Sept. 11 for our early bird discount: https://www.ofnconference.org/event/1704d336-75ff-4b09-a6d9-e6b239d634c5/home