CDFA Advisory Services is a specialized consulting service dedicated to addressing development finance challenges and opportunities in communities. With unparalleled access to the nation's top development finance best practices and resources, CDFA helps communities, development finance agencies, non-profits, CDFIs and other organizations achieve their goals through a variety of services.
. These are the core services provided by CDFA Advisory Services. However, every engagement is unique and CDFA can craft services that meet your community or organizations’ needs. In each engagement, CDFA works with client organizations to increase impact through sustainable financing approaches that are responsive to local needs, community input, and development opportunities.
CDFA Advisory Services provides a wide range of support options. Here are some of the services we offer:
Landscape Map
A landscape map helps organizations better understand the financing options in their community. It identifies the players and programs delivering direct financing to an area, with an emphasis on state and local sources of funds. Landscape maps are designed to support communities in fully utilizing the financing tools available for businesses and projects, identify financing needs or gaps, and encourages collaborative approaches. This product is ideal for clients aiming to become more engaged with development finance entities in their area and/or working to strengthen local economic development networks.
Deliverable:
This service provides an in-depth analysis of the financing resources in your community. Clients will also receive three-to-five recommendations on how to fill access to capital gaps identified in the analysis and will be provided a written report, generally between 10-15 pages, highlighting the landscape mapping and recommended actions. They include a formal rollout presentation once completed.
Timeframe: Landscape maps typically take 4-6 months to complete.
Past examples:
-Lafayette Public Trust Finance Authority
In 2025, Lafayette Public Trust Finance Authority (LPTFA) engaged CDFA to evaluate their local capital landscape. This initiative comprised a Development Finance Landscape Map and
Catalogue of Programs, identifying capital gaps, inventorying existing tools, and clarifying LPTFA’s role in catalyzing local and regional investment. CDFA conducted a comprehensive review of 240+ programs and 80+ organizations, complemented by
stakeholder workshops, a SWOT analysis, and targeted discussions with local and regional leaders. The findings
establish a clear picture of Lafayette’s capital landscape and define the Authority’s opportunity to address
persistent financing barriers.
-New England Feeding New England
In 2026, CDFA, with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, created the New England Feeding New England Web Portal, a searchable resource designed to help food system organizations identify financing opportunities in the New England States. This program database catalogues over 600+ potential financing opportunities for food system businesses, producers, processors, distributors, and community organizations to explore.
-City of Santa Fe, Economic Development Department
In 2025, the City of Santa Fe’s Economic Development Department engaged CDFA to strengthen the region’s film and digital media financing ecosystem. CDFA conducted a comprehensive landscape analysis of local, regional, and national film financing programs; identified capital gaps; and assessed opportunities to expand or launch new tools to support Santa Fe’s film industry. CDFA facilitated a virtual workshop with industry stakeholders to evaluate findings and shape strategy, then developed a detailed Film Finance Landscape Map with recommendations for future programming.
Strategic Finance Plans & Frameworks
Strategic finance planning guides communities in advancing effective, efficient, and equitable development approaches through a set of comprehensive, actionable recommendations. CDFA’s strategic planning process combines research, interviews, focus groups, stakeholder surveying, and facilitated strategy sessions to inform recommendations. Generally speaking, strategic finance plans and frameworks focus on three key areas – 1) Governance 2) Operations, and 3) Programming. The plan/framework structure will highlight best practices, recommendations, and opportunities for advancing development finance in your community through the lens of excellent governance, operational efficiency, resources, and targeted and intentional finance programming selection. Plans can be geared toward organizational-scale strategy, program development, financing options for a specific project, approaches to support a particular industry or sector, and more.
Deliverable: Depending on the scope of work, the resulting product is a fully developed strategic finance plan or framework. The developed plan is generally between 15-20 pages while the framework is shorter, more concise, and generally 8-12 pages in length. These include key findings, a SWOT analysis, and guidance on Governance, Operations and Programming. Clients will also receive 4-6 hours of targeted training on development finance tools. Education, consensus building and collaboration are core values of CDFA’s services. Each plan/framework comes with a formal rollout presentation.
Timeframe: Strategic finance plans and frameworks typically take 6-8 months to complete.
Past examples:
-Arizona Finance Authority
In 2024, the Arizona Finance Authority engaged CDFA to create a Revolving Loan Fund Development Plan, a comprehensive roadmap for building and managing a
mission-driven loan fund focused on rural small and micro-businesses, with special attention to borrowers who have historically not had adequate access to affordable, efficient, and flexible capital. This work supports the organization's mission to foster economic empowerment and ensure equitable access to capital for distressed communities
throughout Arizona.
-San Bernardino Community College District
In 2025, CDFA led a two day, in-person retreat for the San Bernardino Community College District staff and stakeholders. Through hands-on assessment of the community, stakeholder interviews and education, and building on their 2024 Finance Landscape Map, CDFA created a strategic plan that affirmed the organization's goals and mission while recognizing gaps and opportunities for future revenue-generating programs.
-Louisville Metro Government
In 2024, CDFA crafted a Strategic Development Finance Framework for the Louisville Metro Government (LMG). The report includes a foundation of development finance programs and corresponding
operations and governance to implement in accordence with organizational goals and the local development finance ecosystem. The report provides a roadmap with actionable next steps on program implementation and includes an in-person rollout.
Finance Program Development Plan
CDFA creates finance program development plans for agencies looking to launch, revise, or expand their programmatic offerings. These program plans are built to be actionable, with clear goals and objectives, recommended program structures, example policies, operational needs, capitalization strategies, an implementation timeline, and additional resources. CDFA’s approach to program design is based on the client’s mission, local demand, and the creation of complementary finance programs to those already available in the service area.
Deliverable: Depending on the scope of work, the end result will be a fully developed program plan with steps and stages for program development. The program plan is generally between 6-10 pages in length. However, the plan may be augmented by appendices for program policies, compliance and due diligence reporting docs, as well as sample applications and fee structures, etc. Each program plan also comes with a formal rollout presentation to educate the client. Subsequent program training can be added to accelerate plan implementation.
Timeframe: Program development plans typically take 4-8 months to complete. This timeline is very much reliant on the client’s current opportunities to capitalize on programs or initiatives.
Past examples:
-Rhode Island Commerce Corporation
In 2024, CDFA completed the Rhode Island Commerce Strategic Development Finance CDFI Roadmap to increase access to capital for very small businesses (VSBs) and SEDI-owned businesses. The recommendations in the report were informed by previous research and analysis of Rhode Island’s small business capital landscape, Rhode Island BIPOC Small Business Ecosystem Assessment, the Ocean State Accelerates Five-Year Economic Development Strategy, and CDFA Landscape mapping. CDFA also conducted several individual and group interviews with lenders, technical assistance providers, industry representatives, public sector employees, and business ecosystem partners.
-Louisville Downtown Partnership / Louisville Economic Development Alliance
In 2025, CDFA completed the Louisville Downtown Investment Fund Prospectus, providing recommendations on structure, governance, and capitalization strategy for a downtown redevelopment fund that blends state and philanthropic leadership, flexible financing tools, and visible catalytic projects to bolster downtown redevelopment where traditional capital cannot close gaps. This report directly addressed barriers and included mitigation strategies for current market challenges, and included comparable models with key takeaways and next steps.
-Knoxville Community Development Corporation (KCDC)
In 2025, CDFA completed a Strategic Framework aimed to guid the organization as they expand their vision of community and economic revitalization. The report includes Finance Tool Overviews, highlights "high-priority" tools, governance, and programmatic framework recommendations that position the organization for success in its growth, as well as a full timeline for implementation.
Tailored Training & Education (Virtual & In-Person)
CDFA offers customized training, seminars, and webinars for development finance agencies seeking education tailored to their organization, staff, and local community. This education can be adjusted in terms of content, length, and format. CDFA brings expertise covering the full spectrum of financing tools and topics - from bonds, tax increment finance, tax credits, and revolving loan funds to brownfield redevelopment, food system financing, and infrastructure finance. Training can range from a one-hour session to multi-day events or progressive education throughout the course of the year. These can be held in person and/or virtually.
Deliverable: Client will receive customized training to include agenda development, presentation and educational material development, and speaker/faculty coordination, etc. CDFA can also coordinate all back-end registration, attendee engagement, and content management for these events under the engagement.
Timeframe: Generally, CDFA requires a six-to-eight-week lead time to prepare for customized training, seminars, and/or webinars.
Past examples:
-Vermont Economic Progress Council
In 2026, CDFA completed a three-part webinar series dedicated to Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Vermont's new Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP). Each 1.5 hour webinar included presentations from experts in the field, applicable case studies, and Q&A.
-University of Tennessee
For many years, CDFA has facilitated the TN Economic Development Basic Finance Course, a two-day, hands-on course that focuses on the development finance tools available in the state. Modeled after CDFA's Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course but tailored to the state's nuanced programs, the course is designed to share best practices and trends with Tennessee’s economic development practitioners, private industry leaders, community leaders and elected officials.
-The Center by Lendistry
In 2025, CDFA facilitated two virtual trainings with The Center by Lendistry to provide bond finance training. The trainings, a total of four hours, focused on the basics of bond financing with a focus on the fundamentals, mechanics, legal considerations, and use of bond proceeds to finance affordable housing projects.
Grant Writing Services
CDFA’s grant writing services help organizations secure funding by simplifying the complex grant application process and maximizing success. Services range from identifying grant opportunities and researching funders to drafting tailored applications with narratives, budgets, and supporting documents. CDFA also assists with project alignment, goal setting, program design, and application revision. Additional support includes workshops to train staff on effective grant writing, post-award management to ensure compliance and communication, and evaluation services to improve future applications. By outsourcing these tasks, organizations save time, reduce administrative burdens, and increase their chances of securing essential funding.
Deliverable: Outcomes are based on the expectations of the grant and needs of the client.
Timeframe: The timeline for these projects is continuous based on the needs and timing of grant submissions.
-Past Clients:
- Arizona Finance Authority
- Rhode Island Commerce
- Innovate Alabama
- Tucson Industrial Development Authority