Community Development Financial Institutions Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 21.020
- Agency
-
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
Department of the Treasury
- Grant awards
- 4,679 $3,047,524,451 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- CDFI Program
- Assistance type
-
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 20-1881-0-1-451
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions Fund awards Project Grants under Assistance Listing 21.020 to build organizational capacity of certified and emerging Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) serving low-income communities and populations with limited access to financial services, with the most recent grant awards made on September 30, 2025.
The program funds technical assistance and financial assistance to CDFIs through two distinct award types. Technical Assistance (TA) awards support capacity-building activities including personnel compensation, professional services, travel, training and education, equipment, supplies, and incorporation costs for sponsoring entities. Financial Assistance (FA) awards provide capital deployment funding to certified CDFIs. Recipients must use TA funds within two years (for certified CDFIs) or three years (for emerging CDFIs), and FA funds within three years. Awards are distributed across investment areas and targeted populations serving low-income people and communities as defined in 12 C.F.R. 1805. Eligible applicants include certified CDFIs (for FA awards), certified and emerging CDFIs (for TA awards), and entities seeking CDFI certification (for TA only). Federal, state, and local government entities are ineligible.
The program operates through a Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) cycle with application deadlines 30 to 60 days after publication and award determinations typically made within 270 days of the deadline. The CDFI Fund evaluates applications using a formal review process assessing eligibility, financial and compliance risk, business plans, policy objectives, and community impact.
Activity remains steady. The program has disbursed 4,679 awards totaling $3.05 billion in federal dollars since 2006. Recent annual award volume averaged 335 awards per year from 2021 through 2024, with 46 awards in the partial year 2025. Awards from September 2025 ranged from $125,000 to $300,000, with most recent TA awards in the $150,000 range. The Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions Fund is the sole funding source across the entire portfolio. All awards in the program are structured as Project Grants. No current grant opportunities appear in the posted opportunities block; the most recent solicitation on file is FY 2021, posted February 18, 2021 with a March 22, 2021 deadline offering FA awards up to $1 million and TA grants up to $125,000.
Objective and description
- Objective
To promote economic revitalization and community development through investment in and assistance to certified and emerging Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs).
- Description
The CDFI Program uses monetary awards and training opportunities to invest in and build the capacity of CDFIs, empowering them to grow, achieve organizational sustainability, and drive community revitalization.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Only certified CDFIs are eligible to apply for Financial Assistance awards. Certified CDFIs and entities seeking to become certified CDFIs may apply for Technical Assistance awards. No awards may be issued to federal government agencies, departments or instrumentalities, state governments, local governments or any agency or instrumentality thereof.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Investment Areas and Targeted Populations, as defined in 12 C.F.R. 1805.
- Uses of assistance
FA awards enhance the Recipient's ability to provide financial products and services that promote economic revitalization and community development. CDFI Program FA awards must be expended for activities in the following five categories: (i) Financial Products; (ii) Financial Services; (iii) Loan Loss Reserves; (iv) Development Services; and (v) Capital Reserves. Note: Only Regulated Institutions may use an FA award for Financial Services and Capital Reserves. The form of the FA award is based on the form of matching funds that the applicant includes in the application, if applicable. If an applicant includes all or a portion of its matching funds in the form of a loan, all or a portion of the FA award will be in the form of a loan commensurate with the amount of the matching funds in the form of a loan, unless the matching funds requirement is waived by Congress. TA awards build the Recipient's organizational capacity. CDFI Program TA awards must be expended for activities in the following seven categories: (i) Compensation - Personal Services; (ii) Compensation - fringe benefits; (iii) Professional Services Costs; (iv) Travel Costs; (v) Training and Education Costs; (vi) Equipment; and (vii) Supplies.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
For FA funds, Recipients must use all award funds within three years. For TA funds, Recipients that are certified CDFIs must use all award funds within two years; and Emerging CDFI Recipients that are not certified must use all award funds within three years.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Evaluation factors include: (1) eligibility review, (2) financial analysis and compliance risk evaluation, (3) business plan review, (4) policy objective review and community impact, and (5) other factors set forth in the CDFI Program regulations, NOFA and application materials.
- Award procedure
The CDFI Fund reviews applications and makes awards based on an established awards review process set forth in the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) and application materials.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Application deadlines are from 30 to 60 days subsequent to the NOFA publication date. Award approval or disapproval determinations are typically made within 270 days after the application deadline.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year 2021 CDFI Program | Closed | ||
| Fiscal Year 2020 CDFI Program | Closed | ||
| Fiscal Year 2018 CDFI Program | Closed | ||
| Fiscal Year 2017 NACA Program | Closed | ||
| Fiscal Year 2017 CDFI Program | Closed | ||
| FY 2015 Native American CDFI Assistance Program | Closed | ||
| FY 2015 CDFI Program - FA and TA Awards - Second Window | Closed | ||
| Fiscal Year 2015 CDFI Program | Closed | ||
| Fiscal Year 2015 NACA Program | Closed | ||
| Fiscal Year 2013 NACA Program | Closed | ||
| Fiscal Year 2013 CDFI Program | Closed |
Show all 11
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 4,679 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Reinvestment Fund, Inc. | $49,967,736 | 2% |
| 2 | Capital Impact Partners | $44,367,039 | 1% |
| 3 | Low Income Investment Fund | $38,890,935 | 1% |
| 4 | Local Initiatives Support Corporation | $38,872,711 | 1% |
| 5 | Iff | $34,712,461 | 1% |
| 6 | Bluehub Loan Fund Inc. | $31,525,461 | 1% |
| 7 | Community First Fund | $30,748,772 | 1% |
| 8 | Enterprise Community Loan Fund Inc. | $28,121,641 | 1% |
| 9 | Community Vision Capital & Consulting | $24,416,276 | 1% |
| 10 | Hope Federal Credit Union | $22,118,305 | 1% |
10 of 1,562 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | -$2,390,151 |
| FY2025 | $73,241,686 |
| FY2024 | $356,800,519 |
| FY2023 | $169,036,794 |
| FY2022 | $188,111,858 |
| FY2021 | $21,226,333 |
| FY2020 | $359,523,151 |
| FY2019 | $7,776,025 |
| FY2018 | $185,037,786 |
| FY2017 | $371,764,556 |
| FY2016 | $3,525,000 |
| FY2015 | $213,775,792 |
| FY2014 | $182,320,668 |
| FY2013 | $169,161,969 |
| FY2012 | $172,022,874 |
| FY2011 | $177,569,346 |
| FY2010 | $112,836,888 |
| FY2009 | $168,428,490 |
| FY2008 | $58,641,792 |
| FY2007 | $29,792,849 |
| FY2006 | $29,320,227 |
Show all 21
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 21.020?
Assistance Listing 21.020 is Community Development Financial Institutions Program, a federal grant program run by Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (Department of the Treasury).
What is the CFDA number for Community Development Financial Institutions Program?
Its CFDA number is 21.020: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 21.020 awarded?
4,679 grant awards under 21.020 have obligated $3,047,524,451 in federal funds to 1,562 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 21.020?
The recipients obligated the most under Community Development Financial Institutions Program are The Reinvestment Fund, Inc. ($49,967,736), Capital Impact Partners ($44,367,039) and Low Income Investment Fund ($38,890,935).
How much did 21.020 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 21.020 obligated $73,241,686 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 21.020?
No opportunity listed under 21.020 is open now. The latest, Fiscal Year 2021 CDFI Program, was posted on February 18, 2021.
On GovTribe
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