Inclusiv is the CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) authority for the credit union industry, was instrumental in establishing the CDFI Fund in 1994 and has a permanent seat on the board of the national CDFI Coalition. Our members represent the majority of all CDFI-certified credit unions. Inclusiv advocates for policies that strengthen and direct resources to our members and the communities they serve. View our CDFI advocacy platform.
The mission of the CDFI Fund is to expand the capacity of financial institutions to provide credit, capital and financial services to underserved populations and economically distressed communities in the United States.
CDFIs outperform their non-certified peers in key performance categories of earnings and growth. Read the Inclusive Finance report for a detailed analysis of these findings.
Open Office Hours will begin January 10, 2024. Register now!
Benefits of CDFI Certification
The U.S. Department of Treasury established the CDFI Fund in 1994 to provide resources to financial institutions delivering vital services to communities throughout the nation which have been overlooked by mainstream lenders and depositories.
Amid the economic downturn in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, CDFIs have acted as lifelines and provided much needed relief to communities hardest hit by this crisis, providing payment relief, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, and emergency small dollar loans, among other measures. With Congress poised to deliver billions of dollars in additional resources to CDFIs, there has never been a better time for credit unions serving underserved and minority communities to participate in the CDFI Fund.
Inclusiv facilitates credit unions’ access to funding opportunities for CDFIs and Minority Depository Institutions (MDI) as they are made available. To this end, Inclusiv provides expertise, technical assistance, advocacy and resources to CDFI-certified, CDFI-eligible and MDI-designated credit unions seeking to participate in these programs.
With CDFI certification, credit unions are eligible for:
- Financial Assistance awards of up to $1 million per year and Technical Assistance awards of up to $125,000 per year
- COVID-19 Rapid Response Program and relief grants
- Low cost lines of credit to promote affordable housing lending through the Federal Home Loan Bank's community development program
- The Bureau of Indian Affairs loan guarantee program
- CDFI Capacity Building Initiative
- Regulatory and Administrative Recognition
- NCUA MBL waiver for non-LID credit unions
- NCUA Underserved Expansion based on CDFI Investment Areas
- Limited waiver for some CFPB provisions
- Market Differentiation: CDFI Certification is an attractive certification when pursuing partnerships with community organizations, banks and local governments
Next Steps
Inclusiv is the CDFI authority for the credit union industry, and we're here to help by providing assistance to meet all of your CDFI Certification needs, including certification and reporting assistance, and resources for grant applicants. Inclusiv also provides CDFI eligibility assessments for our members at no additional cost. Learn more about the benefits of Inclusiv membership and current COVID-19 stimulus programs for CDFIs.
Still wondering whether CDFI certification is right for you? Join us every Wednesday beginning on January 11, 2023 for Inclusiv's CDFI Office Hours at 3 pm ET. Register here.
- In 2021, an unprecedented level of funding was allocated to CDFIs by the CDFI Fund and Treasury's Emergency Capital Investment Program. The next round of CDFI funding ($1.75 billion) will be targeted specifically to MDIs; however, only 15% of minority-designated credit unions are CDFI certified. Inclusiv offers specific resources targeted to MDIs interested in becoming CDFI certified and accessing these federal grants. Every third Wednesday of the month, the office hour will be dedicated to MDIs.
Check out Inclusiv and CUNA Mutual Group's video library for CDFI and MDI certification and grant applications:
View our FAQs below to learn more about CDFI certification. Additional questions? Contact Chriselle Martinez, CDFI Program Director at cmartinez@inclusiv.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CDFI Program?
A certification program offered by the U.S. Treasury Department that identifies financial institutions dedicated to providing financial services and promoting financial security in low-income and historically underserved communities.
How does the CDFI program work?
The CDFI program was created by Congress in 1994. The goal was to combine federal money with private capital to help qualified financial institutions meet the needs of underserved communities that typically lack access to affordable loans and safe financial services.
How does the CDFI certification benefit a credit union?
- CDFIs are eligible to apply for grants from the CDFI fund to expand services to financially underserved communities (capital grants up to $1 million; Technical Assistance grants* up to $125,000 as of 2020)
- Any credit union may apply for a CDFI Technical Assistance grant before certification, but they must have the ability to become CDFI-certified within three years of receiving the grant.
- CDFIs have access to additional training resources
- Membership in a learning community of like-minded credit unions
- CDFIs are exempt from the National Credit Union Administration’s (NCUA) member business lending cap
- CDFIs have limited exemptions under Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Qualified Mortgage and Ability-to-Pay rules
Will being a CDFI negatively affect my credit union’s business results?
While some credit unions may feel that a focus on underserved communities is just too risky, call report data consistently shows that the median CDFI credit union in every peer group outperforms the median non-CDFI in terms of earnings (return on average assets (ROAA), lending (Loans-to-shares), asset growth and membership growth. Inclusiv has published these findings in two research reports (Inclusive Finance 2018, 2020) and comparable findings have been independently reported by NCUA and CUNA in public presentations.
What is required for certification?
There are 7 tests for CDFI certification, most of which are automatic or nearly automatic for credit unions
Automatic for All Credit Unions (3 tests)
- Legal Entity
- Financing Entity
- Non-Governmental Entity
Automatic for All Low-Income Designated (LID) Credit Unions (1 test)
- Primary Mission (may be fulfilled in other ways by non-LID credit unions)
Easily Fulfilled by Most Credit Unions (2 tests)
- Development Services (e.g., direct or indirect provision of member financial education, coaching, counseling, etc.)
- Accountability (governing board and/or advisory board ties to specific communities)
Critical Test for Credit Unions (1 test)
- Target Market, which requires that at least 60% of new loans (#, $) are issued in one or more of the following, designated “CDFI Target Markets”:
- CDFI Investment Areas: economically distressed geographies designated by the CDFI Fund
- Low-Income Targeted Populations: similar to NCUA’s determination of low-income members
- Other Targeted Populations: communities that have historically been underserved by mainstream financial institutions, including members who are African American, Hispanic and Native American
What is the deadline for applying?
The standard application is open year-round as of 2022 the NCUA Streamlined application will be phased out. Please check in with Inclusiv or join our CDFI Open Office Hours Wednesdays 3-4pm ET to ask questions about the CDFI Certification process.
Is there a fee for applying for a CDFI certification?
No, the CDFI Fund does not charge a fee to apply for certification. If you would like help in completing your certification application, Inclusiv offers affordable CDFI application assistance for credit unions of all sizes.
How long does my certification remain active?
Initial certification is good for two years, after which the CDFI Fund requires annual recertification. Inclusiv provides members with a free annual recertification service.
What options does my CU have to become CDFI Certified?
The Standard application is a process through the CDFI Fund that is open year-round to credit unions. As of 2022 the NCUA Streamlined application will be phased out. Please check with the Inclusiv CDFI team to learn more about the Eligibility Analysis we provide members free of charge for the standard application process.
What do I need to do to remain certified?
In order to maintain certification each CDFI must submit an Annual Certification Report (ACR) attesting to its continued eligibility for certification. Inclusiv offers free ACR assistance to its members. Learn more by contacting Jules Epstein-Hebert at jhebert@inclusiv.org.
How do I get more information?
Inclusiv offers free, live weekly informational sessions to assist credit unions interested in the CDFI program. Register here: CDFI Education Sign-up
About Inclusiv
Inclusiv is the only CDFI-certified intermediary and national advocate for community development credit unions. Inclusiv provides capital, makes connections, builds capacity, develops innovative products and services and advocates on behalf of credit unions that serve more than 12.4 million residents of low-income urban, rural and reservation-based communities across the US with more than $159 billion in combined assets. Founded in 1974, Inclusiv is headquartered in New York, NY, with offices in Madison, WI and Atlanta, GA.