August 29, 2012
The Babcock Foundation occasionally commissions learning papers to increase our board and staff knowledge of various pathways out of poverty, with a focus on the Southeastern United States. This study was released in June 2011 to inform organizational thinking about the challenges and opportunities facing community development financial institutions (CDFIs).
CDFIs are for-profit and nonprofit organizations that provide access to credit and other financial services in low-income and minority markets that traditionally have been underserved by mainstream institutions. The Babcock Foundation has been a long-time supporter of CDFIs in the Southeast through its grantmaking and program-related investments.