The Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course is the foundation for all of CDFA’s educational offerings. This course will help attendees understand the variety of development finance tools available, including bonds, tax credits, tax increment financing (TIF), revolving loan funds (RLFs), federal financing programs, and access to capital lending resources.

The Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course is based on CDFA's Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance, the only comprehensive reference guide dedicated to building and utilizing the development finance toolbox. The Practitioner’s Guide to Economic Development Finance 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.

This course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute's Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Join us online and start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.

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Course Objectives Learn the fundamentals of development finance Interact with leading development finance professionals from around the country Discuss best practices and case studies that can be implemented in your community Gain a greater understanding of the diversity of development finance tools Establish a foundation for attending future in-depth financing courses Receive a copy of the Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance Topics Covered Understanding development finance The financing spectrum Building the development finance toolbox Bedrock tools: bonds and the basics of public finance Targeted tools: tax increment and special district financing Investment tools: tax credit programs Access to capital lending tools: revolving loan and mezzanine funds, loan guarantee, innovation finance, and microenterprise programs Implementing the toolbox approach Trends in development finance Development finance challenges and policy considerations 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

Course Advisor Toby Rittner Council of Development Finance Agencies President & CEO Toby Rittner is the President & CEO of Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), a national association dedicated to the advancement of development finance concerns and interests. CDFA is comprised of the nation’s leading and most... knowledgeable members of the development finance community representing hundreds of public, private and non-profit development finance agencies. Mr. Rittner runs the day-to-day operations of the Council including the organization’s various educational, advocacy, research, resources, and networking initiatives. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the CDFA Foundation. Rittner is one of the most vocal and recognized leaders of the development finance industry nationwide and has advised local, state, and federal leaders, including Presidents Biden and Obama, on economic development finance policy. Through his leadership and guidance, CDFA was successful in preserving private activity bonds and other critical development finance tools during the 2017 tax reform deliberations and has had numerous pieces of legislation introduced in the United States Congress. In 2021, Rittner successfully led a national effort to reauthorize and fund the $10B State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. He has written and crafted dozens of strategic finance plans for development finance agencies and advised communities throughout the world on development finance approaches. Rittner focuses on sustainable finance with an emphasis on infrastructure, clean energy, food systems, small business, and innovations in the development finance industry to drive sustainable outcomes. He has written extensively about impact ready initiatives that leverage and engage capital in ways that drive local sustainability in business and industry and the environment and economy. Rittner is a frequent speaker at local, state, and national conferences and events focused on economic development finance. He has been featured in The Bond Buyer, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR and other national media publications concerning the advancement of development finance tools. He is the author of CDFA's highly acclaimed Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance and co-author of CDFA's Unlocking Capital: A Handbook for Becoming a High Performing Development Finance Agency. Rittner is an adjunct faculty member at The Ohio State University and Carnegie Mellon University. He is also a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) and has completed the prestigious Oxford University Sustainable Finance Foundation Course. Mr. Rittner previously served on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Financial Advisory Board and is a member of the Advisory Board for the National Community Fund I. Mr. Rittner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master's of City and Regional Planning degree from The Ohio State University. Mr. Rittner was awarded the Ohio State University College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2016. (More)

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. Please note that the application deadline is two weeks prior to the course start date.

CDFA permits only one person to log in 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.

Early Bird Rates (Ends July 18) CDFA Member: $500 Non-Member: $825

Standard Rates (After July 18) CDFA Member: $625 Non-Member: $950

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