ABOUT CDFIs | CDFI STORIES | HOW TO INVEST IN US
St. Louis Community Development Financial Institution Coalition
The St. Louis CDFI Coalition is a partnership among nine Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that offer an array of capital, development, and consulting services and share a common mission to empower an economically healthy community and end the racial wealth gap in St. Louis through support for nonprofits, small businesses, and communities.
2020 St. Louis CDFI Impact Report
The CDFIs of the St. Louis CDFI coalition provide over $160M a year in safe and affordable capital to families, nonprofits, and small businesses. Learn more about where those dollars are going and their impact on the St. Louis region in our 2020 Data Report.
CDFI Coalition Response to COVID-19
Local CDFIs have risen to the challenge of serving the St. Louis community through the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll be sharing how our Coalition is responding and what the impact has been on the community here.
What is a CDFI?
CDFIs, which are designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, provide financial services to underserved areas where commercial banks and lenders leave gaps. Some specialize in midsize to large loans to community-serving agencies; others provide small, individual loans and other credit and financial services.
Coalition Priorities
The Coalition was founded in 2016 and has come together to:
Promote positive financial strategies, products, and policies for St. Louis communities.
Drive strong partnerships internally & with key community stakeholders, policymakers, banks, and philanthropy.
Raise awareness of the critical role that CDFIs play in community development and the services offered.
All Coalition members offer mission-driven loans and other resources that tend to be more flexible and accessible than traditional financing. Loans and resources are deployed across the region into some of St. Louis’ most economically distressed communities.
CDFIs At Work In the St. Louis Region
To read more CDFI stories, click here.
CDFIs and the Ferguson Commission Report
The Ferguson Commission Report explicitly highlights the work of CDFIs and calls for enhanced access to banking in order to build equity via four recommendations:
Build the capacity of CDFIs.
Invest in high functioning CDFIs.
Greater assignment of CRA credit to CDFI activities.
Embed public banking models into CDFIs.
Coalition Members
For more information on how to support the St. Louis CDFI Coalition, reach out to the CDFI Coalition at stlouiscdfi@gmail.com.
