Donna Gambrell, director of the U.S. Department of the Treasury's CDFI Fund, discusses community development financial institutions, their impact on low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities, and their role in job creation. The Economic Development podcast series is produced and hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta in partnership with the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
Part One
Giving Credit Where It Is Due: CDFIs in LMI Communities
Topics include:
- How CDFIs differ from traditional financial institutions
- Types of CDFIs, the services they provide, and the impact they make
- How CDFIs are capitalized and who funds them
"When you look at the impact of these institutions, what you see is that they are having a critical role in charter schools, health centers, mixed-use real estate, affordable housing complexes, green energy manufacturing, transit-oriented development projects in both urban and rural areas that really desperately need these facilities."
Part Two
Should CDFIs Join Your Job-Creation Team?
Topics include:
- Innovative practices to help create jobs
- Challenges CDFIs face in working with small businesses
- Opportunities for partnership with community and economic development practitioners
"So an important component of the CDFI model is to provide technical assistance and form long-term relationships with its borrowers, and to find public and private partnerships with organizations that can provide training, that add value to the business."
August 31, 2011