The Caren S. Franzini Fellowship was created to develop and recognize outstanding women in the field of development finance for their leadership and dedication to the advancement of the industry. This 6-month fellowship program, run through the CDFA Foundation, is open to women employed by a CDFA member organization who have worked in the development finance industry for less than 10 years. Apply by Friday, March 15!

In 2023, RSF issued a $5 million credit facility, which Mad Capital is using to provide loans to farmers in the Midwest and High Plains. This allows farmers to keep investing cash in the farm while they transition from conventional to regenerative organic, and then when the process is complete, they can restructure the loan to align the payment schedule of the loan with the cash flow of the farm.

The Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corp. (Marbidco), Maryland's ag lending assistance program, is required by law to be self-sufficient by fiscal year 2026, meaning the state budget being developed now is the last that will fund the program's general operations. Marbidco was created as a quasi-public corporation by the Legislature in 2004 and provides low-interest loans to farms, as well as to forestry and seafood businesses.

Join CDFA for our upcoming Bond Finance Week! The Intro Bond Finance WebCourse will take place on March 4-5 followed by the Advanced Bond Finance WebCourse on March 6-7. Register for one or both of these courses to learn from experts about how to bring economic growth to your community by utilizing the vast resources of the bond finance industry.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis's State Budget Proposal increases funding for the Colorado Department of Agriculture to be used towards some of their most influential projects and programs, including the Agricultural Workforce Development Program (AWDP). AWDP was established to encourage more young people to pursue careers in farming. The agency also launched a $20 million revolving loan fund (RLF) to help finance land access for beginning farmers and ranchers.

CDFA is excited to host the 2024 Federal Policy Conference on April 2-3 in Washington, D.C.! The conference will include sessions featuring the SSBCI, the 2024 Farm Bill, clean energy and infrastructure investments, the 2024 election, and much more. Join federal agency and development finance industry experts and leave with a better understanding of the tools, resources, and regulatory changes impacting the entire federal development finance spectrum. Register today!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded over $270 million through cooperative agreements with state departments of agriculture to build resilience across the middle of the food supply chain and strengthen local and regional food systems. The funding is being awarded through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program to agricultural producers or processors, nonprofit organizations, local government entities, tribal governments, and institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals.

The West River Foundation for Economic & Community Development started the Meat & Poultry Intermediary Lending Program aimed at upgrading meat and poultry processing across Western South Dakota. This program is responsible for loaning money to meat and poultry processing facilities so that they can upgrade any aspect of the business to limit food supply chain issues across the state.

Greater Commercial Lending (GCL), which provides government-guaranteed loans to businesses and organizations in under-served and rural communities, has completed $4.77 million in financing for Cascade Kitchens, a food hall and commissary kitchen in South Lake Tahoe, California. The loan, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through the 7(a) loan program, extends key financial support to help Cascade Kitchens transform an existing building into an innovative culinary hub. 

CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series: Economic Development & Bond Finance
February 20, 2024 - 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Eastern

CDFA Food Systems Finance Webinar Series: Exploring Bonds as the Foundational Financing Tool
February 27, 2024 - 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern

>>> VIEW THE FOOD SYSTEMS RESOURCE CENTER   
>>> VIEW THE AGRICULTURE RESOURCE CENTER   

This report, developed by the Croatan Institute in collaboration with the Meridian Institute, explores major on-farm, off-farm, and systemic risks that the agricultural industry faces and how finance can increase the resilience of those systems while providing other benefits.

The SLM White Paper, Investing in Regenerative Agriculture: Reflections from the Past Decade, sets out the investment and environmental case for regenerative agriculture, while also highlighting the risks and challenges. It is an update to an influential white paper first published in 2016. It draws on the latest research, as well as SLM Partners' experience making investments in this theme for more than a decade.

Local and Regional Foods are a small but vitally important part of agriculture sales in the United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Local and Regional Food Systems Resource Guide is intended to help stakeholders navigate USDA resources to strengthen local and regional food systems. Stakeholders can use these resources to partner with USDA to address climate change, create more and better market opportunities, support food and nutrition security, and advance racial justice, equity, opportunity, and rural prosperity.

>>> SEARCH FOOD SYSTEMS RESOURCES
>>> SEARCH AGRICULTURE RESOURCES