WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Following today's announcement by the U.S. Department of the Treasury regarding FY 2025 and FY 2026 awards through multiple Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) programs, Opportunity Finance Network provided the following statement from Harold Pettigrew, President and CEO of Opportunity Finance Network.

"CDFIs are an essential part of America's economic and financial infrastructure, helping finance small businesses, affordable housing, community facilities, and local investment in communities across the country. After more than a year of advocacy from OFN, the CDFI industry, our partners and bipartisan Congressional champions, we are pleased to see the CDFI Fund move forward with these awards. We also recognize and thank the staff of the CDFI Fund for their continued work during this critical time to advance resources that communities across the country are counting on.

"The CDFI Fund has earned broad bipartisan support because it produces measurable economic results in rural, urban, and Native communities alike. These resources strengthen institutions that help entrepreneurs grow businesses, families access housing, and communities build stronger local economies.

"Today's announcement reinforces the important role CDFIs play in expanding economic opportunity on Main Streets across America. Historically, that impact has extended well beyond the initial investment: CDFIs leverage an estimated $8 in private sector investment for every $1 in public funding, helping attract additional capital to entrepreneurs, families, businesses, and communities.

"As additional information becomes available, OFN will continue working to ensure members, partners, and communities have the information they need to understand what today's announcement means for the field. OFN continues to advocate for movement on those programs that were not included in today's announcement including the fiscal year 2026 Bond Guarantee Program, the Capital Magnet Fund program, and the remaining fiscal year 2026 programs. CDFIs remain focused on attracting private investment, putting capital to work, and helping communities build stronger local economies."

Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is the nation's leading network and intermediary focused on community development investment, managing more than $1 billion in total assets and a membership of nearly 500 community development financial institutions (CDFIs), which includes community development loan funds, credit unions, green banks, banks, minority depository institutions, and venture capital funds. Our network of CDFIs works to ensure communities left behind by mainstream finance have access to affordable, responsible financial products and services, with a deep focus on serving rural, urban, and Native communities across the United States. OFN is a trusted investment partner to the public, private, and philanthropic sectors – foundations, corporations, banks, government agencies, and others – and, for more than 40 years, has helped partners invest in communities to catalyze change and create economic opportunities for all.

Since its founding in 1986, OFN members have originated $136 billion in cumulative financing, helping to create or maintain nearly 3.8 million jobs, start or expand more than 1.2 million businesses and microenterprises, and support the development or rehabilitation of more than 3 million housing units and more than 16,000 community facility projects.

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SOURCE Opportunity Finance Network