Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) are private financial institutions that are 100% dedicated to delivering responsible, affordable lending to help low-income, low-wealth, and other disadvantaged people and communities join the economic mainstream.
By financing community businesses—including small businesses, microenterprises, nonprofit organizations, commercial real estate, and affordable housing—CDFIs spark job growth and retention in hard-to serve markets across the nation.
CDFIs are profitable but not profit-maximizing. They put community first, not the shareholder. For more than 30 years, they have had a proven track record of making an impact in those areas of America that need it most.
From https://ofn.org/what-cdfi