Episodes

CDFIs have long relied on a few mainstays for capitalization–banks, foundations, and the CDFI Fund. Recently, though, we have started to see increased investment interest from non-bank corporations. Today’s episode profiles one of the CDFIs that has been doing this the longest and with the most success, as demonstrated by a high-profile $50 million investment […]

CDFIs have long relied on a few mainstays for capitalization–banks, foundations, and the CDFI Fund. Recently, though, we have started to see increased investment interest from non-bank corporations. Today’s episode profiles one of the CDFIs that has been doing this the longest and with the most success, as demonstrated by a high-profile $50 million investment […]

CDFIs have long relied on a few mainstays for capitalization–banks, foundations, and the CDFI Fund. Recently, though, we have started to see increased investment interest from non-bank corporations. Today’s episode profiles one of the CDFIs that has been doing this the longest and with the most success, as demonstrated by a high-profile $50 million investment […]

CDFIs strive to deploy capital where it is most needed. Nevertheless, a lot of smaller and midsize cities are left without a CDFI to serve them, even as larger CDFIs seek to continue to grow their markets. After observing this gap, Mark Pinsky, former CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network, decided to develop a solution. […]

CDFIs strive to deploy capital where it is most needed. Nevertheless, a lot of smaller and midsize cities are left without a CDFI to serve them, even as larger CDFIs seek to continue to grow their markets. After observing this gap, Mark Pinsky, former CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network, decided to develop a solution. […]

CDFIs strive to deploy capital where it is most needed. Nevertheless, a lot of smaller and midsize cities are left without a CDFI to serve them, even as larger CDFIs seek to continue to grow their markets. After observing this gap, Mark Pinsky, former CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network, decided to develop a solution. […]

Many impact lenders struggle with energy efficiency financing–sure, we all support the idea, but without technical expertise in the area it can be hard to get credit committees comfortable with utility cost savings that justify added upfront costs. Inclusive Prosperity Capital, a spin-off of the Connecticut Green Bank, aims to solve this problem. By specializing […]

Many impact lenders struggle with energy efficiency financing–sure, we all support the idea, but without technical expertise in the area it can be hard to get credit committees comfortable with utility cost savings that justify added upfront costs. Inclusive Prosperity Capital, a spin-off of the Connecticut Green Bank, aims to solve this problem. By specializing […]

Many impact lenders struggle with energy efficiency financing–sure, we all support the idea, but without technical expertise in the area it can be hard to get credit committees comfortable with utility cost savings that justify added upfront costs. Inclusive Prosperity Capital, a spin-off of the Connecticut Green Bank, aims to solve this problem. By specializing […]

Opportunity zones have been a hot topic in the impact finance industry since their announcement, but do CDFIs and other impact lenders have a role to play? Michael Swack and Charles Tansey think so. They join us on this episode to discuss their recent white paper, “The Potential Role for CDFIs in Opportunity Zones,” which […]

Sometimes it seems like everyone in the CDFI industry knows each other, and that many of us have been committed to the industry for our whole careers. Our guest on this episode is not one of those familiar faces. Jim McSherry is a career entrepreneur and, for two years, took over lending operations at the […]

Small buildings make up more of America’s housing stock than the large multifamily developments we often think about in the finance world. That means that to serve all the needs of a community, addressing the small building stock is essential. In this episode, two of the leading CDFIs in this space offer the lessons they’ve […]

Does heightened interest in impact investing present a real opportunity to diversify capital sources, or is it a mirage? Yuliya Tarasava, one of the founders of CNote, believes CDFIs and other community lenders can seize the moment and expand their capital bases. She joins us in this episode to offer her company’s approach to helping […]

The grassroots movement that resulted in the creation of CDFIs as we know them today has a deep history. In today’s episode we explore that history with one of the luminaries of the industry, Cliff Rosenthal. Cliff was there when it all started, and he shares his insights and anecdotes as he takes us through […]

Mark Barbash joins the impact lenders podcast to talk about the changing landscape of the small business lending sector, and how impact lenders can best respond to it. The declining number of community banks and the proliferation of online lenders has shifted the small business lending environment dramatically. Impact lenders need to understand these market […]

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) motivates a substantial portion of bank investments into CDFIs, and as budgets for community development programs shrink, its importance continues to grow. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency recently released an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking comment on reforms to CRA, highlighting the likelihood that changes are […]

The political climate has made diversifying capital sources a priority for many CDFIs. At the same time, younger investors are increasingly focused on impact. How can your loan fund capitalize on that trend? In this episode, Johan Matthews discusses the insights he and his colleagues have gleaned from interviews with dozens of millenial investors as […]

Impact lenders serving low-income communities are often working to mitigate the consequences of structural racism–but race is rarely brought to the forefront of discussions in the industry. Living Cities decided that it wanted to change that, and has embarked on a years long journey to get things right internally as they simultaneously seek to explicitly […]

Measuring and tracking impact is one of the persistent challenges of impact lending. We all want to know what our work is really accomplishing, both to improve our programs and to effectively report out to investors and donors. Community Housing Capital is innovating how they measure impact by adopting the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals as […]

Peter Schaeffing, President of High Impact Financial Analysis, discusses topics in underwriting in this week’s podcast. The episode offers lessons to newer underwriters and reminders that will help more experienced underwriters stay sharp. Specific topics include leasehold mortgages (starting at the 1:25 mark), financial analysis of consolidated organizations (5:28), pension plans (8:30), and underwriting low […]

The Impact Lenders Podcast goes live at the National Charter Schools Conference in Austin, Texas in this episode. We speak with some of the leaders of the charter school financing sector to get their take on the trends and risks shaping the industry today. Tune into this episode to learn from the people who work […]

Ami Pascual Spear joins the Impact Lenders Podcast to discuss inclusion in the impact lending industry. As a past founder, employee, and current board member of various impact lending institutions, Ami has broad experience in the field that she draws on as she discusses the importance of inclusion and how the industry could improve. Ami’s […]

The CDFI Women’s Network was launched in 2016 to foster opportunities for a diverse and inclusive group of women in community development finance to connect, share, and learn from each other to advance their professional development. It has grown into an industry-wide initiative that brings together women from CDFIs, foundations, banks, government entities, and other […]

Vacant properties encourage crime, create safety hazards, and erode pride in communities. In this episode, we talk with the President of the New York Land Bank Association to discuss what the land bank solution to vacant properties is and what financing challenges exist for land banks and their property buyers. Anyone interested in creative solutions […]