-Overview
Financing infrastructure has become one of the nation’s most pressing concerns. Communities throughout the country are aggressively searching for innovative strategies and solutions for building and operating transportation, energy, water, broadband, resiliency, and other infrastructure. The development finance toolbox provides a vast array of capital solutions - including federal and state grants and loans, bonds, tax increment financing, tax credits, revolving loan funds, opportunity zones, and public-private partnerships - all of which can be packaged in a myriad of ways.
The Intro Infrastructure Finance Course will bring together development finance experts from different infrastructure disciplines to analyze the financing tools being used nationwide. This interactive web course will help communities understand the fundamental concepts behind infrastructure projects with a focus on raising capital to achieve local and regional needs. In addition, this webcourse will explore the cutting-edge structures and approaches being deployed to accelerate new investment in America’s 21st-century infrastructure.
This course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute's Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program . Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
Course Objectives
- Learn the basics of infrastructure finance.
- Understand the many players involved and their interests.
- Identify finance experts and institutions who are looking for investment opportunities.
- Gain an understanding of best practices for engaging private sector infrastructure providers.
- Learn to identify revenues to support debt financing.
- Discuss how new infrastructures help to fund community revitalization
- Learn how and why other communities' projects have succeeded or failed.
- Create networks for potential future investment.
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Topics Covered
- Basics of infrastructure financing
- Understanding infrastructure bond financing
- Engaging private sector partners
- Deploying P3 strategies
- Monetizing cost savings
- Gap financing for leveraging private investment
- Engaging stakeholders, partners, and the community
- Attracting investment
- Deploying TIF, tax credits, Opportunity Zones, and revolving loan funds
- Securing federal funding resources
- Evaluating infrastructure projects
- Measuring impact for future new investments
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Who Should Attend?
- Bond Issuers
- Economic Development Professionals
- Community Development Professionals
- Broker/Dealers and Underwriters
- Elected Officials
- Government and Nonprofit Finance Officers
- Attorneys
- Accountants
- Financial Advisors
- Policy Makers
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Course Advisor
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Zeyu Zhang
Council of Development Finance Agencies
Manager, Research & Technical Assistance
Zeyu Zhang is a Manager of Research & Technical Assistance for the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA). Her focus areas include bond, infrastructure finance, energy, PACE, and P3. She contributes to the team by managing federal programs, ... conducting research on development finance-related topics, generating reports, and performing data analysis.
Zeyu received her Ph.D. degree in Mass Communication at Ohio University in 2021. She has expertise in media studies, research designs, and data analysis. She has a Master’s degree in Digital Storytelling from Ball State University. Prior to joining CDFA, she worked as a researcher, instructor, research assistant, and program assistant. She is excited to advance her career by deepening her knowledge in the field of development finance. (More)
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-Agenda
Day 1
| 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM |
Welcome and Overview
Welcome to the course! This session will introduce CDFA, explain how to use the online software, and discuss the framework for the two-day Intro Infrastructure Finance WebCourse.
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| 12:15 PM - 1:30 PM |
Infrastructure 101
To kick things off, this session will provide a broad overview of how transportation, energy, water, and broadband infrastructure projects work. Speakers will discuss the current infrastructure needs facing both urban and rural communities in the U.S., as well as the types of tools and financing approaches that are used for these projects.
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| 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM |
Evaluating Your Project
There are a wide range of considerations that must be taken into account when planning an infrastructure project. This session will walk through questions that should be addressed in the planning process, including: how to identify players and engage the community, determine the ownership structure, identify financing strategies and revenue streams, measure project costs and impacts, and how to plan for the future.
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| 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM |
Break
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| 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM |
Unlocking Capital
Many types of development finance tools are used to unlock capital for infrastructure projects. This session will introduce the financing approaches best suited for transportation, energy, water, and broadband. During this session, attendees will also learn how to identify revenues for debt financing and when to consider public-private partnerships.
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| 4:45 PM - 5:00 PM |
Wrap-Up: Day 1
The first day will finish with a brief review of the topics covered, highlights of the key takeaways for attendees, and outlining the learning objectives that will be presented on the second day.
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Day 2
| 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM |
Revisiting Day 1
Day 2 will begin with a review of key takeaways from Day 1 and the agenda for the second half of the course.
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| 12:15 PM - 1:30 PM |
Transportation Infrastructure
This session will discuss how to approach financing highways, rail systems, airports, and shipping ports. Speakers will share the tools used most commonly on transportation projects and special considerations for this kind of infrastructure. Case studies will be included to demonstrate how development finance tools can be deployed for transportation.
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| 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM |
Energy Infrastructure
During this session speakers will discuss how energy efficiency improvements, alternative clean energy generation, and large-scale energy distribution can be financed. Speakers will share which tools are best suited for energy-related projects and special considerations for these kinds of infrastructure. Case studies will illustrate the application of development finance on energy projects.
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| 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM |
Break
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| 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM |
Water Infrastructure
This session will discuss approaches for financing water and wastewater infrastructure, and cover the tools most commonly used for this type of infrastructure. Speakers will present special considerations for water infrastructure project and case studies that showcase successful financing.
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| 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM |
Broadband Infrastructure
This session will present financing tools and strategies for expanding and upgrading broadband infrastructure. Speakers will review the tools used most often for these projects, discuss special considerations for broadband, and share case studies that demonstrate these financing approaches.
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| 4:45 PM - 5:00 PM |
Course Wrap-Up
The Intro Infrastructure Finance WebCourse will close with a review of the core learning objectives and suggestions for additional resources on the topic.
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-Location
The Intro Infrastructure Finance Course will take place on Zoom. The course will meet each day from 12:00-5:00 PM Eastern. Attendees must have access to a computer and the internet to attend the course.
-Registration
This training course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute's
Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
Scholarships are available to attend this event. Learn more about the
CDFA Scholarship Program,
and submit your application today.
CDFA permits only one person to login and participate in the course. If multiple people are accessing the course without paying to attend, we will terminate the connection and access. CDFA offers group discounts for organizations that wish to register multiple people.
Register by ___ for Early-Bird Rates.
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CDFA Member: $375
Non-Member: $500
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