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The Impact of CDFIs

Capital Good Fund was founded on the belief that everyone deserves dignified access to nonpredatory capital. Families deserve access to credit and financial stability without being trapped in a cycle of debt, support they can trust, and tools that build confidence and economic stability through coaching. Finance should not be a barrier to a better life. It should be a bridge.

And today, we are proud to share a milestone that represents just that bridge being built:

We have now crossed $60 million in affordable consumer loans and leases deployed across the country. Prioritizing groups often excluded from the financial mainstream, including those with limited or poor credit histories, this benchmark reflects real people and real progress:

  • Over 17,500 households avoided predatory lenders and the debt spiral that follows by accessing low-interest emergency and small-dollar loans
  • To date, around 180 families and mission-driven organizations have upgraded their homes and reduced their energy costs through solar leases, with an additional 1,600 energy-efficiency projects financed across the country
  • We’ve provided 1,400 immigration loans to help individuals access vital legal services, build stability, and relieve pressure on already overextended immigration providers.
  • Over 2,000 participants strengthened their financial health through coaching programs that help fix credit issues, build sustainable budgets, and gain the knowledge and confidence to stay on a path to financial success long after our relationship ends 

This milestone isn’t just a financial figure. It represents doors opened, anxieties eased, and opportunities expanded. It’s proof of what’s possible when mission-driven finance meets real life and a reminder of why the fight for CDFIs matters more than ever.

Across the country, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like us have become a lifeline for individuals and organizations excluded from the financial mainstream. We are the backbone of local economies, uniquely positioned to reach and serve low-to-moderate-income and underbanked communities that continue to face systemic barriers to accessing credit and building generational wealth. A recent study emphasized that financing from certified CDFIs significantly boosts borrower wealth and asset growth in those areas specifically.

In recent weeks, however, the already evolving landscape for community development finance has been under attack, creating uncertainty about the future of federal support for mission-driven lenders as affordability pressures grow nationwide. While newly introduced, Senate-approved legislation to reopen the federal government would reinstate CDFI Fund staff and other federal employees, the broader outlook evolves by the day. Previously proposed budget cuts and potential reductions in program scope could limit the resources some CDFIs rely on to expand equitable access to capital and sustain impact.

Nationwide, bipartisan, faith-based, local, and economic leaders have made it clear: CDFIs create jobs, build housing, empower small businesses, alleviate poverty among vulnerable families, and strengthen individuals in every corner of the country. Members of Congress y the Senate across the political spectrum have signed letters urging the administration to protect the CDFI Fund and its workforce, warning that cuts would severely destabilize a successful, established financial system.  

And the private sector agrees. Banks, credit unions, housing organizations, and industry associations rely on CDFI certification to ensure their dollars go to trusted organizations that have proved they can reach communities that need them most. Undermining the Fund puts that flow of private capital in jeopardy, and risks pulling the rug out from under local economies nationwide.

What is at stake is simple and urgent:

  • CDFIs have deployed more than $124 billion in cumulative financing, created or maintained 3.4 million jobs, and supported 1 million small businesses across more than three decades
  • Every $1 given from the CDFI Fund to a CDFI historically attracts $8 in additional private investment from other resources 
  • The Fund supports tens of thousands of affordable homes and families each year
  • In many places, CDFIs are the only fair lending option

Financing $60 million is a celebration. But it is also a stark reminder of our mission. We are committed to:

  • Expanding lending and leasing opportunities that support long-term economic stability
  • Serving families overlooked by traditional financing with dignity and respect
  • Defending programs that work because protecting the CDFI Fund protects the most vulnerable

How you can help protect progress

Stay informed on decisions that affect the CDFI Fund. Support and partner with CDFIs that are delivering impact. Share the stories of CDFIs and shed light on the work that is proven to succeed. 

To our borrowers, supporters, partners, and funders: thank you for trusting and being with us on this journey. You made this milestone possible. You are part of this progress and part of what comes next. Capital Good Fund will continue to stand with communities and fight for an evolved system where finance is fair and accessible. 

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