CDFA - Revolving Loan Funds Resource Center

-EDA Revolving Loan Fund Resources

Brief On U.S. Economic Development Administration Programs and Project Types Members only

This brief analyzes U.S. EDA data from 2010 to 2019 to paint a broad picture of the agency’s programs and grantmaking activities. During this period, EDA invested an average of $361 million a year across its programs.

Revolving Loan Fund De-federalization – Implementation of the RLF Act Members only

Login

Access to Capital | Legislative | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

This presentation from the EDA discusses Revolving Loan Fund de-federalization and implementation of the RLF Act passed in late 2020.

CDFA-EDA Revolving Loan Fund Best Practices Handbook

Access to Capital | CDFA Original Research | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

Throughout the CDFA EDA RLF Best Practices Program, several common characteristics emerged from high performing RLFs. The best practices outlined in this guide synthesize these exceptional traits and address the strategies employed by successful EDA RLFs of all sizes. Each recommendation includes a basic description and several resources for expanded learning. This RLF Best Practices Handbook serves as an overview of the best practices that EDA RLF recipients should consider to maximize their lending capacity, support local businesses, and enhance the economic development financing ecosystem in their community.

COVID-19: Comprehensive Recovery Strategy

Based on the input of our 500+ members, CDFA has developed a set of policy proposals that would allow state and local governments, through development finance agencies, to be immediate problem solvers that can help alleviate the extreme economic challenges facing small businesses and communities to put America securely on the path to recovery.

CDFA EDA Revolving Loan Fund Webinar Series: Fund Recapitalization and Expansion

Fund recapitalization can come from many sources, including local, state, and federal governments or financial and philanthropic institutions. Depending on the source, there may be certain requirements that need to be satisfied when moving through the actual lending process.

View more EDA Revolving Loan Fund Resources

-EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Resources

Superfund Redevelopment Program Webinar Series - Opportunity Zones and Superfund Sites Members only

Login

There are over 300 Superfund National Priorities List sites and thousands of Superfund removal sites located in or partially in Opportunity Zones. This webinar discussed Opportunity Zone tax benefits in the context of redeveloping Superfund sites and other types of contaminated properties and how communities, local governments, and developers can utilize these benefits.

Brownfields: Properties with New Purpose Members only

Login

Access to Capital | Brownfield Financing | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | Tribal Finance | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA’s Brownfields Program provides direct funding for brownfields assessment, cleanup, revolving loans, environmental job training, technical assistance, training, and research. To facilitate the leveraging of public resources, EPA’s Brownfields Program collaborates with other EPA programs, other federal partners and state agencies to identify and make available resources that can be used for brownfield activities.

EPA's Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program Members only

Login

Access to Capital | Brownfield Financing | Infrastructure Finance | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

David Lloyd from the Environmental Protection Agency provides an overview of the financing programs offered through the Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization at the 2019 CDFA Federal Policy Conference.

Brownfield Finance Strategies – Federal Resources to turn Brown Into Green Members only

Login

Charlie Bartsch explains the Federal financing tools available for Brownfield redevelopment in this presentation.

Financing Contaminated Property Transactions Members only

Login

This presentation by Charlie Bartsch provides a detailed discussion of many EPA programs, including assessment grants, tax incentives, and revolving loan fund grants.

View more EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Resources

-Lending Policies, Criteria, & Conditions

Incentives for Entrepreneurial Firms Members only

Login

Many economic development organizations (EDOs) have embraced the mission to support entrepreneurial firms in their communities. EDOs engage in their entrepreneurial ecosystems, in part, by providing resources, sometimes in the form of business incentives. The purpose of this report is to provide practitioners and policymakers with insights regarding the use of these incentives and guidance for offering incentives to entrepreneurial firms.

How Innovative CDFIs Fund Equitable Food Oriented Development

This report describes how three CDFIs drive economic growth in low-income and historically marginalized communities through a model defined by the EFOD Collaborative as Equitable Food Oriented Development (EFOD). EFOD is a development approach that supports locally owned food-based economies. The report details systemic financial barriers that business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs face in marginalized communities.

CDFA-EDA Revolving Loan Fund Best Practices Handbook

Access to Capital | CDFA Original Research | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

Throughout the CDFA EDA RLF Best Practices Program, several common characteristics emerged from high performing RLFs. The best practices outlined in this guide synthesize these exceptional traits and address the strategies employed by successful EDA RLFs of all sizes. Each recommendation includes a basic description and several resources for expanded learning. This RLF Best Practices Handbook serves as an overview of the best practices that EDA RLF recipients should consider to maximize their lending capacity, support local businesses, and enhance the economic development financing ecosystem in their community.

Revolving Loan Funds Members only

Login

Economic Development | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs)

Jennifer Sherwin of the Self-Help Credit Union presents on Revolving Loan Funds in rural areas.

Hermitage Revolving Loan Fund Manual Members only

Login

Access to Capital | Economic Development | Infrastructure Finance | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs)

The City of Hermitage, Mercer County, Pennsylvania operates an Industrial/Business Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to provide funding assistance in the form of low-interest financing for eligible economic development projects.

View more RLF Lending Policies, Crieteria, & Conditions Resources

-Marketing Examples

Tyler Economic Development Council EDA Revolving Loan Fund Brochure

Access to Capital | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

This brochure is used to market the Tyler Economic Development Council EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials EDA Revolving Loan Fund Brochure

Access to Capital | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

This brochure is used to market the Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

Southwestern North Carolina Economic Development District EDA Revolving Loan Fund Brochure

Access to Capital | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

This brochure is used to market the Southwestern North Carolina Economic Development District EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

Southwest Iowa Planning Council EDA Revolving Loan Fund Brochure

Access to Capital | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

This brochure is used to market the Southwest Iowa Planning Council EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission EDA Revolving Loan Fund Guidelines

Access to Capital | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

These guidelines are used to market the Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

View more RLF Marketing Examples Resources

-Sample Applications

Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments EDA Revolving Loan Fund Application

Access to Capital | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

This application is for the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

UDI Community Development Corporation EDA Revolving Loan Fund Application

Access to Capital | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

This application is for the UDI Community Development Corporation EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

Southwest Iowa Planning Council EDA Revolving Loan Fund Application

Access to Capital | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

This application is for the Southwest Iowa Planning Council EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission EDA Revolving Loan Fund Application

Access to Capital | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

This application is for the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission EDA Revolving Loan Fund Application

Access to Capital | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) | U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) | Economic Development Administration (EDA) | U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC)

This application is for the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission EDA Revolving Loan Fund.

View more RLF Sample Application Resources

The RLF Program Database provides details on loan funds throughout the country. Resources are restricted to CDFA members only. CDFA members must login with their unique CDFA username and password to access restricted items. Non-members can join CDFA today to gain access to the entire database. Submit your RLF for this database.

Revolving Loan Funds can be used to achieve many different community and economic development goals. CDFA has collected over seventy case study examples.

How Innovative CDFIs Fund Equitable Food Oriented Development

This report describes how three CDFIs drive economic growth in low-income and historically marginalized communities through a model defined by the EFOD Collaborative as Equitable Food Oriented Development (EFOD). EFOD is a development approach that supports locally owned food-based economies. The report details systemic financial barriers that business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs face in marginalized communities.

Impact in Place: Emerging Sources of Community Investment Capital and Strategies to Direct It at Scale Members only

Login

Recognizing the urgency of the pandemic and related crises, on June 7, 2021, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York approached the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance to write a report about the current landscape of capital sources for community investment and how emerging capital sources and strategies could help shape the future of the field.

CDFA Food Systems Finance Webinar Series: Financing Food-Centered Redevelopment

During this installment of the CDFA Food Systems Finance Webinar Series, we explored how investing in food-centered redevelopment can restore local food systems infrastructure, catalyze additional neighborhood development, and protect healthy, sustainable communities.

CDFA Charter Schools Financing Initiative: Development Finance Strategies for Charter Schools

CDFA's first publication of the CDFA Charter Schools Financing Initiative series, funded with support from the National Alliance For Public Charter Schools. This paper demonstrates how charter schools can access development finance tools and public finance and provides real-world examples of how these tools have been successfully implemented.

CDFA Food Finance White Paper Series: Advancing Food Systems Through Development Finance

This is the sixth and final white paper in a series examining the potential creation of a food systems asset class that supports the market growth of local and regional food systems. This paper presents three replicable strategies for restoring local food systems: reframe food systems development as infrastructure and economic development; build effective relationships and partnerships across the entire food system; and plan for strategic food system financing.

View More Case Studies

Merchants Capital Closes Two Tax Credit Equity Funds Totaling $233.4M
Yahoo! Finance | Dec. 22 | Access to Capital | Housing Finance | Tax Credits

Goldman Sachs Launches $75M Fund to Aid Black Affordable Housing Developers
Commercial Observer | Jan. 20 | Access to Capital | Housing Finance | Tax Credits

Oceanside Directs $3.5M to Homeless Apartment Project
The Coast News Group | Jan. 20 | Housing Finance | State Finance Program | Tax Credits

View More Headlines

Revolving Loan Fund Reference Guide

Access to Capital | CDFA Original Research | Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs)

The Revolving Loan Fund Reference Guide offers an in-depth look at RLF program development, implementation and management. This guide demonstrates how a RLF program can complement economic development strategies, encourage investment and assist traditionally underserved businesses. With seven case studies of proven RLF programs and over twenty sample documents, policies, and applications, this guide covers the essential elements of operating a successful RLF program.

Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance

The Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance 2nd Edition is the only comprehensive resource dedicated to building and utilizing the development finance toolbox. The Practitioner's Guide provides the insight and practical information needed to critically understand how economic development is financed and the tools, strategies and techniques used to build strong communities. From bonds, tax increment finance and special districts to tax credits, seed & venture capital, revolving loan funds and much more, this Guide outlines the financing tools required for succeeding in today's competitive economic development climate.

Unlocking Capital: A Handbook for Becoming a High Performing Development Finance Agency

Unlocking Capital: A Handbook for Becoming a High Performing Development Finance Agency (Handbook) serves as a companion to the Practitioner’s Guide to help illuminate the structures of development finance agencies (DFAs), essential conduits to access development finance tools. The Handbook provides an overview of DFAs and their myriad roles in various development efforts. Included in this discussion is a comprehensive look at over a dozen high-performing DFAs throughout the country. The Handbook is designed to be a starting point for local leaders to engage in the creation or acceleration of a DFA to build and utilize the development finance toolbox.

View More Publications

Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course
January 26-27, 2022
Daily: 12:00 - 5:00 PM Eastern

CDFA's Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course is the foundation for all of CDFA’s educational offerings. This course helps attendees understand the variety of development finance tools available, from bonds, tax credits and TIF, to federal financing programs, RLFs, and access to capital lending resources.

Register

Intro Revolving Loan Fund WebCourse
March 28-29, 2022
Daily: 12:00 - 5:00 PM Eastern

The Intro Revolving Loan Fund Course offers an in-depth look at RLF program development, implementation, and management. This course demonstrates how an RLF program can complement your economic development strategy, encourage investment, and assist traditionally underserved businesses. During this course, attendees learn the essential elements needed to operate a successful RLF program and discuss programs making a difference in communities throughout the country.

Register

Advanced Revolving Loan Fund Course
March 30-31, 2022
Daily: 12:00 - 5:00 PM Eastern

The Advanced Revolving Loan Fund Course builds on CDFA’s Intro RLF Course by providing in-depth instruction on loan underwriting and portfolio management. Topics discussed during this course include analyzing borrower documents, performing financial analysis, and making loan decisions based on the mission and lending criteria of your RLF. In addition, attendees will learn principles for analyzing loan performance, balancing portfolio risk through borrower and industry diversity, and smartly managing RLF proceeds to create new lending programs. Given the advanced curriculum for this course, it is expected that attendees will already have some basic education about how revolving loan funds operate and have previously participated in underwriting loans.

Register

View All Courses

SSBCI Coalition Meeting - January 21 (Virtual)
January 21, 2022
1:00 PM Eastern

SSBCI Coalition meetings will be held once a month to provide an interactive forum for CDFA members during the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) application period. CDFA will facilitate discussions that allow for networking, peer knowledge sharing, and problem solving.

Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course
January 26-27, 2022
Daily: 12:00 - 5:00 PM Eastern

CDFA's Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course is the foundation for all of CDFA’s educational offerings. This course helps attendees understand the variety of development finance tools available, from bonds, tax credits and TIF, to federal financing programs, RLFs, and access to capital lending resources.

Register

SSBCI Coalition Meeting - March 18 (Virtual)
March 18, 2022
1:00 PM Eastern

SSBCI Coalition meetings will be held once a month to provide an interactive forum for CDFA members during the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) application period. CDFA will facilitate discussions that allow for networking, peer knowledge sharing, and problem solving.

Intro Revolving Loan Fund WebCourse
March 28-29, 2022
Daily: 12:00 - 5:00 PM Eastern

The Intro Revolving Loan Fund Course offers an in-depth look at RLF program development, implementation, and management. This course demonstrates how an RLF program can complement your economic development strategy, encourage investment, and assist traditionally underserved businesses. During this course, attendees learn the essential elements needed to operate a successful RLF program and discuss programs making a difference in communities throughout the country.

Register

Advanced Revolving Loan Fund Course
March 30-31, 2022
Daily: 12:00 - 5:00 PM Eastern

The Advanced Revolving Loan Fund Course builds on CDFA’s Intro RLF Course by providing in-depth instruction on loan underwriting and portfolio management. Topics discussed during this course include analyzing borrower documents, performing financial analysis, and making loan decisions based on the mission and lending criteria of your RLF. In addition, attendees will learn principles for analyzing loan performance, balancing portfolio risk through borrower and industry diversity, and smartly managing RLF proceeds to create new lending programs. Given the advanced curriculum for this course, it is expected that attendees will already have some basic education about how revolving loan funds operate and have previously participated in underwriting loans.

Register

View more Upcoming Events

CDFA-ARC Maximizing the SSBCI in Appalachian Region Members only

Login

CDFA hosted this public briefing on January 6, 2022 to provide an overview of ARC resource that can support SSBCI strategies, provide SSBCI updates and resources, and promote multi-state and regional collaboration. CDFA along with representatives from Treasury discussed key provisions in the updated guidance and fielded questions from attendees.

CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series: Unlocking Capital for BIPOC-owned Businesses Members only

Login

During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, we will be discussing creative financing approaches to minimize barriers and increase access to capital for minority-owned businesses across the country.

CDFA Food Systems Finance Webinar Series: Financing Food-Centered Redevelopment

During this installment of the CDFA Food Systems Finance Webinar Series, we explored how investing in food-centered redevelopment can restore local food systems infrastructure, catalyze additional neighborhood development, and protect healthy, sustainable communities.

Superfund Redevelopment Program Webinar Series - Opportunity Zones and Superfund Sites Members only

Login

There are over 300 Superfund National Priorities List sites and thousands of Superfund removal sites located in or partially in Opportunity Zones. This webinar discussed Opportunity Zone tax benefits in the context of redeveloping Superfund sites and other types of contaminated properties and how communities, local governments, and developers can utilize these benefits.

CDFA - Ice Miller Broadband Financing Series: Financing Tools for Broadband Projects

COVID-19 has highlighted the need for broadband and the gaps in broadband access. As part of our collaboration with Ice Miller, this video is designed to provide a review of the various approaches to expanding broadband access and how to assess which approach best accommodates community needs and capabilities.

View More Webcasts