Join us for the 2025 CDFA Federal Policy Conference, presented with CHFA, on April 15-16 to discuss topics that are important to you and directly impact the development finance work you're doing. Save $100 when you register by March 31! This is your chance to save on registration fees and secure your spot at one of the premier federal policy events in our industry. Reserve your seat at this important meeting of the minds, and help us turn uncertainty into opportunity.

A federal judge temporarily blocked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from reclaiming billions of dollars allocated for climate-friendly projects under the Biden administration. The Trump administration sought to end these grants, citing concerns of "waste, fraud, and abuse," but Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled the EPA failed to provide evidence of wrongdoing. She ordered that the EPA's decision to terminate the grants be halted and that the funds, held by Citibank, cannot be transferred. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated the agency would continue to challenge the ruling.

Amid President Trump's anti-DEI policies, universities are rushing to the bond market to secure funding before potential federal restrictions. Following the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling, schools fear cuts to diversity programs and federal aid. With the administration signaling a crackdown on race-conscious policies, universities are issuing bonds quickly to lock in capital for scholarships, infrastructure, and hiring. Conservative pressure for deeper rollbacks adds urgency, potentially reshaping the role of municipal bonds in higher education and affecting economic mobility and workforce development.

President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order Friday limiting the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund to its statutory functions and limiting those functions to the minimum permitted by law. Any grants must be consistent with those functions and subject to appropriations. Under the CDFI Fund's current umbrella authority, there are various grant programs with differing and specific goals of those programs. The Treasury Department has seven days from Friday (March 21) to recommend what activities can continue.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is overhauling its bond definitions, impacting insurers, investors, and municipal finance professionals. The new framework will refine bond classification and risk evaluation, potentially altering capital reserve requirements and investment strategies. Insurers, holding significant municipal bonds, must reassess portfolios for compliance and exposure to reclassified assets. These changes could disrupt the bond market and affect municipal bond demand, influencing infrastructure projects. Proactive engagement with regulators and financial advisors is essential to navigate potential challenges and disruptions.

The Program Manager position is responsible for the development, implementation and management, and monitoring of the State of Maryland's federally-funded HOME Investment Partnership Program. This position also implements the oversight of the HOME American Rescue Plan Program (ARP) to ensure compliance. This Program Manager provides oversight for the development of systems, policies, and procedures for this federal program, as well as State programs. The candidate must implement guidelines and programmatic policies for preventing fraud, waste, and abuse of federal funds as required by program regulations. This position also analyzes, applies, and enforces complex federal guidelines.

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