The CDFA Training Institute offers the nation’s most comprehensive education dedicated to the economic development finance industry. Courses are offered in both in-person and online settings using a variety of teaching methods. Development finance professionals are encouraged to further their industry knowledge by completing CDFA's Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program.

The CDFA Training Institute offers courses in two broad categories: Tool Specific and Topic Specific. Click on a course name below to learn more about that course’s objectives and agenda.

Tool Specific Courses

Topic Specific Courses

Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course Bedrock Tools Intro Bond Finance Course Advanced Bond Finance Course Intro Public-Private Partnership (P3) Finance Course Targeted Tools Intro Tax Increment Finance Course Advanced Tax Increment Finance Course Investment Tools Intro Tax Credit Finance Course Intro EB-5 Finance Course Intro Opportunity Zones Finance Course Access to Capital Tools Intro Revolving Loan Fund Course Seed & Venture Capital Finance Course

Intro Brownfields Finance Course Intro Energy & Water Finance Course Intro Food Systems Finance Course Intro Housing Finance Course Intro Incentives Course Intro Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Finance Course Intro Rural Finance Course Intro Infrastructure Finance Course

CDFA’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program is an intense training course learning experience and is the industry's only comprehensive development finance professional certification program. The DFCP Program is designed to produce graduates with a comprehensive knowledge of development finance concepts, tools and applicability as well as a deep understanding of the entire development finance spectrum. Participants in the DFCP Program are required to complete six courses in the CDFA Training Institute and then pass a comprehensive exam to receive the professional DFCP designation.

Learn More about the DFCP Program

CDFA offers customized seminars and workshops on a variety of development finance topics. Seminars and workshops can be conducted onsite at the CDFA offices, online in a web-based format, or at a specific location. These events are tailored to the specific needs of the client and audience, and can range from very basic to advanced development finance topics. CDFA has provided targeted seminars or workshops to the following clients in the past:

• Business Oregon
• California State University at Fresno
• Georgia Institute of Technology: Economic Development and Technology Ventures
• International Economic Development Council
• LISC Milwaukee
• Mid-America Economic Development Council
• National Association of Home Builders
• National League of Cities
• New Jersey Economic Development Authority
• New York State Economic Development Council
• North Carolina Economic Developers Association
• Ohio Department of Development
• Ohio Economic Development Association
• Oklahoma Department of Commerce
• Pennsylvania Economic Development Association
• Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors
• Texas Economic Development Council
• Southern Economic Development Council
• University of Tennessee
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Department of Energy

To learn more about customized seminars and workshops and to receive a specific quote, contact CDFA.

CDFA offers webcasts on timely and pressing topics in the development finance industry. Most webcasts are available for free to the general public and feature panel discussions from industry experts. All webcasts are archived in the CDFA Online Resource Database for long term viewing.

View CDFA Webcasts

The CDFA Bookstore offers several publications on development finance topics, including bonds, tax increment finance, tax credits, revolving loan funds, and more. These publications form the primary curriculum for courses offered through the CDFA Training Institute. Publications are available for purchase with special discounts available to CDFA members.

View CDFA Bookstore