Small Dollar Credit Builder Loans: Adding Insight to Build Impact
FUND CI continues its deeper dive in the its recent report Bending Toward Justice: Credit Scores as a Measure of CDFI Impact with Talia Kahn-Kravis, the Credit Builder Alliance’s Manager of Innovations and Business Development. CBA is an innovative national nonprofit network dedicated to building the capacity of a diverse and growing network of hundreds […]
Using Research to Build the CDFI Industry
Utilizing industry expertise has significantly enhanced FUND CI’s research. FUND CI’s recently released report Bending Toward Justice: Credit Scores as a Measure of CDFI Impact details research conducted in conjunction with the Credit Builders Alliance (CBA), and is the most recent example of the value of collaborations. To expand on the report, FUND CI Board […]
CDFIs Value In-Person Communication
Last week, FUND Community Institute released its report, Bending Toward Justice: Credit Scores as a Measure of CDFI Impact. While the central finding is that small dollar credit building loans offered by CDFIs have a positive effect on borrower’s credit scores, the project team also investigated various other aspects of how CDFIs help borrowers to […]
Gender at Native CDFIs
FUND Community Institute expanded its recent research on women in CDFIs by exploring women’s general DEI experiences in Native CDFIs (NCDFIs) and as they relate to gender. Although the findings suggest that the matrilineal culture present in many Native communities helps bolster the role of women in NCDFIs, interviewees more emphatically described multiple challenges related […]
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Native CDFIs
As part of its ongoing research into DEI in CDFIs, FUND Community Institute focused its research on women in Native CDFIs (NCDFIs) to learn how they are experiencing diversity, equity and inclusion in their organizations. Interviews with four women working in Native CDFIs show that they tend to view their experiences at NCDFIs positively; all […]
What’s Next for CDFIs in Supporting DEI?
What’s Next for CDFIs in Supporting DEI? FUND Community Institute’s recently released report, Advancing Equity: Diversity and Inclusion at CDFIs (available at www.fundci.org ) offers insights from industry stakeholders on where they see their organizations and the industry overall going next in terms of supporting and promoting DEI initiatives. The findings indicate that the next […]
How do CDFIs Organize their DEI initiatives?
How do CDFIs Organize their DEI initiatives? How do CDFIs organize and make progress on their diversity, equity and inclusion initiaves? FUND Community Institute’s recently released report, Advancing Equity: Diversity and Inclusion at CDFIs (available at www.fundci.org ) suggests that one of the key drivers of this work is the formation and implementation of inclusive […]
Are your Recruiting and Hiring Practices Getting you the Staff you Want?
How can CDFIs support diversity, equity, and inclusion in recruitment and hiring practices? FUND Community Institute’s recently released report, Advancing Equity: Diversity and Inclusion at CDFIs (available at www.fundci.org ) suggests that there is significant activity in the industry regarding these policies and best practices from which other CDFIs can learn. In reflecting on recruitment […]
Is DEI Language Important?
Is it important for CDFIs to have value statements or mission statements that explicitly address diversity, equity, and inclusion? The answer is a resounding yes according to FUND Community Institute’s recently released report, Advancing Equity: Diversity and Inclusion at CDFIs (available at www.fundci.org ). As part of this research, FUND CI interviewed staff at CDFIs […]
Advancing Equity: Diversity and Inclusion at CDFIs
Last month, FUND Community Institute released its most recent research report, Advancing Equity: Diversity and Inclusion at CDFIs (available at www.fundci.org ). The report is based on research to identify the best practices of CDFIs that are recognized as being ahead of the curve in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion both internally and externally. The […]