OFN Training

How are CDFIs capitalized? Why is capitalization so important to the CDFI business model? Get answers to these questions and more at this 101-level workshop designed to provide a foundational overview of capitalization in the context of CDFIs. We’ll delve into the various types of capital available to CDFIs – what they are, why they matter,  and use cases –  as well as sources for different types of capital. You’ll also get insights into how capitalization supports CDFI operations, financing, and growth. We’ll close out by discussing the common challenges CDFIs face when building and implementing their capitalization strategy.

Training date in 2024: March 18. See the calendar above to learn more.

OFN’s CDFI 101 Orientation builds off our CDFI 101 Toolkit and aims to help participants:

• Connect more deeply to the CDFI industry and common goals we share
• Understand what it means to be part of a movement built over the past 50 years
• Be inspired by the industry’s roots
• Increase understanding of what CDFIs are, how CDFIs do what they do, why CDFIs exist, what the industry’s impact has been to date, and current trends

Make connections with fellow attendees in an interactive training that includes: 

• Discussions that dive deeper into the history of the industry, CDFI business model, and current trends and priority topics
• Facilitated networking
• Opportunities to hear from early CDFI practitioners and other CDFI leaders

Training dates in 2024: January 24 and 31, March 5, April 30, June 12, August 20, and October 21. See the calendar above to learn more.

Interested in climate financing but unsure of where to start? Attend this ½ day, three-hour workshop for a primer on climate financing concepts and to understand the business case for CDFI climate lending at the intersection of climate finance and environmental justice. Through this training, attendees will build their baseline knowledge of the landscape of climate financing opportunities, including a high-level overview of lending products and practices.

During the workshop, attendees will be guided through activities that will help them begin a climate risk assessment of their communities and markets. Through case studies and examples, the workshop will conclude by helping practitioners think through ways in which they can start building a climate program and framework that meets the needs identified in their climate risk assessments.

Please note that this workshop is best suited for practitioners who have not yet developed a climate lending portfolio or are in the early stages of doing so.

Training date in 2024: March 12. See the calendar above to learn more.

Strengthen your leadership and governance through this half-day session that explores how board members can support their respective CDFIs in advancing their missions and achieving strategic goals. Attendees will delve into leading practices in board composition and governance, including fiduciary responsibilities; examine challenges and opportunities facing CDFI leaders; and explore strategies for succession planning and managing change.

This training is only open to CDFI board members. When registering, you will be required to share the name of the CDFI you support.

Please note: For board members seeking foundational knowledge of the industry and/or that are new to CDFIs, we strongly suggest that you also register for our CDFI 101 Orientation.

Training date in 2024: April 30. See the calendar above to learn more.

Designed for CDFI financial management professionals, this workshop is intended to help practitioners build their CDFI’s organizational resiliency through financial management. This is a hybrid offering, with a full-day, in-person workshop followed by a 90-min virtual learning session six weeks after the initial workshop via Zoom. The registration fee includes both of these components.

During the in-person workshop, attendees will dive into the CAMEL framework, exploring leading practices for monitoring, analyzing, and assessing their CDFIs’ financial health through exercises involving both cases studies and analysis of their own organizations’ financials.

Attendees will also receive access to Excel tools developed by OFN, such as a CAMEL KPI dashboard. The dashboard is an interconnected Excel tool that allows practitioners to leverage the CAMEL framework to identify trends in their CDFI’s financials, make financial projections, and assess performance against key performance indicators. OFN staff facilitators will work with attendees to adapt these concepts, materials, and tools to the needs of their CDFI.

To maximize the workshop experience, participants will need to bring a laptop that can run Microsoft Excel as well as their CDFI’s most recent audited financials from the past three fiscal years. Additional information will be sent one week prior to the in-person workshop.

Approximately six weeks after the in-person workshop, attendees will participate in a 90-min follow-up virtual session to discuss how they’ve adapted the tools and concepts to their CDFI; raise new questions and get support with any challenges they’ve encountered; share feedback on implementation; and engage in peer learning.

Please note that due to demand, this training is only open to practitioners at OFN members and other mission-driven lenders. If you are interested in this workshop but are not a practitioner at a CDFI or mission-driven lender, please reach out to [email protected] to explore our customized training options.

Training dates in 2024: February 2, March 6, May 1, and June 12. See the calendar above to learn more.

To support enduring change within our communities, CDFIs and other mission lenders must recognize and understand how we unintentionally contribute to upholding systemic racism. More and more CDFIs are taking steps to do exactly that and intentionally translate their missions into practice. During this workshop, attendees will hear from these CDFIs on the various ways in which they’ve built a foundation that has allowed them to authentically advance racial equity in their lending practices.

The workshop is divided into two parts: we’ll start with understanding how power and privilege influence individual and institutional behavior through a series of interactive activities and discussions. The second half of the workshop will focus on guiding practitioners through examining their loan policies, practices, and products for areas of improvement. Led by fellow CDFI practitioners, this is your opportunity to begin or deepen your organization’s ongoing journey and commitment to operationalizing racial equity, inclusion, and accessibility into your lending practices.

Training dates in 2024: June 12. See the calendar above to learn more.

This half-day, interactive, three-hour workshop is geared towards CDFI practitioners and mission-driven lenders seeking to strengthen and refine their capital raising approach. The workshop will primarily focus on assisting attendees with developing and/or honing a compelling value proposition for various types of investors. Attendees will receive templates, tips, and real-time support to help them build a pitch deck and/or narrative that effectively conveys their organization’s work. Through an interactive exercise, attendees will have opportunities to practice their pitch amidst peers and receive actionable feedback.

The workshop will also cover what to expect when raising capital—from building a data room to the typical components of underwriting and due diligence processes—and include guidance on investor outreach and relationship management. Attendees will leave equipped with new skills and insights to maximize opportunities to successfully raise capital for their respective organizations.

Training dates in 2024: January 31, March 5, and March 12. See the calendar above to learn more.

Throughout this 101-level session, participants delve into the core principles and components of CDFI small business lending. We start by exploring the small business lending landscape, the role CDFIs play in the ecosystem, and the evolution of CDFI small business lending. We then dive into CDFI small business lending practices, during which we review the most common small business loan products offered by CDFIs as well as key principles of small business lending and portfolio management. Next we transition into an overview of the types of programming and capacity-building small business CDFIs tend to offer alongside their loans before closing out with an outlook of current trends, challenges, and opportunities.

The workshop features interactive discussions, case studies, and practical exercises aimed at deepening your understanding of key concepts and leading practices. You’ll walk away with a foundational understanding of why, what, and how small business CDFIs do what they do.

Training dates in 2024: June 12. See the calendar above to learn more.