Publications

Persistent Poverty and the Prevalence of CDFIs
Issue Date: 2021-07-08

In new research supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Opportunity Finance Network shows the traditional measure of persistent poverty by county severely undercounts the number of Americans living in entrenched poverty and is less geographically inclusive of rural and urban communities alike.

The paper posits that measuring persistent poverty at a census tract level offers a more equitable and accurate methodology and has profound implications for many CDFIs.

A county measure suggests that nearly half of CDFIs have no lending activity in these areas. A census tract measure shows that the vast majority of CDFIs lend in persistent poverty areas and that nearly 40 percent of all CDFI lending is in these areas, a testament to the CDFI industry’s targeting of highly vulnerable rural and urban communities.

Persistent Poverty and the Prevalence of CDFIs offers:

Foreword by Partners for Rural Transformation
Data comparison of persistent poverty when measured by census tract and county, including overview of CDFI lending
Borrower stories and tracking resources
Recommendations for CDFIs, policymakers, funders, and investors

Download

Cost:
FREE

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2018 Twenty-First Edition
Issue Date: 2019-11-22

We are excited to announce the availability of OFN's annual Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side publication for fiscal year 2018—Twenty-First Edition. Side by Side is OFN's annual reference guide for industry practitioners, investors, and others interested in assessing the CDFI industry's activity and performance. It presents data from OFN Member financial institutions and includes peer group analyses for primary financing sectors. This data is an invaluable resource to CDFIs, funders, and investors, in addition to its critical role in OFN's advocacy efforts on behalf of the entire industry.

The Side by Side report defines 34 core peer groups and 12 additional groups. For each peer group, we present data in support of the following topics: institution size, sectoral composition of financing, staff and board composition, efficiency and operations ratios, sources and composition of capital, financing activity and performance, and markets served.

OFN members can download a free Side by Side report from the CDFI Connect member resources page. OFN allies and members will receive an email with free download instructions.

Download

Cost:
FREE

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2017 Twentieth Edition
Issue Date: 2018-12-18

We are excited to announce the availability of OFN's annual Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side publication for fiscal year 2017—Twentieth Edition. Side by Side is OFN's annual reference guide for industry practitioners, investors, and others interested in assessing the CDFI industry's activity and performance. It presents data from OFN Member financial institutions and includes peer group analyses for primary financing sectors. This data is an invaluable resource to CDFIs, funders, and investors, in addition to its critical role in OFN's advocacy efforts on behalf of the entire industry.

The Side by Side report defines 30 core peer groups and 12 additional groups. For each peer group, we present data in support of the following topics: institution size, sectoral composition of financing, staff and board composition, efficiency and operations ratios, sources and composition of capital, financing activity and performance, and markets served.

Download

Cost:
FREE

2017 CDFI Loan Fund Compensation and Benefits Survey Report
Issue Date: 2017-12-13

Our new report is an invaluable resource that can help CDFIs recruit, reward, and retain high-quality employees. It is a comprehensive examination of CDFI loan fund compensation and benefits data from more than 140 CDFIs from across the country. For CDFIs that are in expansion mode or those now budgeting for 2018, this report will be helpful in setting compensation levels for new positions.

The report includes:

Compensation and benefits information for 21 executive and staff positions
Compensation data for the top five compensated executives
A comprehensive view of CDFI staff benefits

In addition, with permission from the American Bankers Association, we have included the most relevant cuts of data from their 2016 Compensation & Benefits Survey for each position in this survey, to provide mainstream bank data for reference.

Preview the report

Table of Contents
Introduction
List of Surveyed Positions

Purchase

Cost:
$750.00

Inside the Membership: Statistical Highlights from OFN Membership: 2016
Issue Date: 2017-12-07

This report provides information on 222 CDFIs in the OFN membership. The vast majority (197) of these institutions are community development loan funds with the balance being 22 community development credit unions, two community development banks, and a single community development venture capital fund.

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Cost:
FREE

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2016 Nineteenth Edition
Issue Date: 2017-12-05

We are excited to announce the availability of OFN's annual Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side publication for fiscal year 2016—Nineteenth Edition. Side by Side is OFN's annual reference guide for industry practitioners, investors, and others interested in assessing the CDFI industry's activity and performance. It presents data from OFN Member financial institutions and includes peer group analyses for primary financing sectors. This data is an invaluable resource to CDFIs, funders, and investors, in addition to its critical role in OFN's advocacy efforts on behalf of the entire industry.

The Side by Side report defines 29 core peer groups and 12 additional groups. For each peer group, we present data in support of the following topics: institution size, sectoral composition of financing, staff and board composition, efficiency and operations ratios, sources and composition of capital, financing activity and performance, and markets served.

Member or Ally - FREE

Download

Cost:
FREE

CDFI Loan Fund Technology Landscape: User Survey Results
Issue Date: 2017-06-28

Download

Cost:
FREE

20 Years of CDFI Banks and Credit Unions, 1996-2015: An Analysis of Trends and Growth
Issue Date: 2017-03-01

This analysis of CDFI banks and credit unions is a companion piece to OFN’s 2015 longitudinal analysis of CDFI loan funds, “20 Years of Opportunity Finance, 1994-2013: An Analysis of Trends and Growth.” Using several data sources on regulated financial institutions, this study shows that CDFI banks and credit unions grew dramatically and demonstrated strong performance throughout the 20-year period, even during the Great Recession. Findings also show that CDFI banks and credit unions offer financial services benefitting low/moderate-income communities at substantially higher rates than conventional banks and credit unions.

Download

Cost:
FREE

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side-by-Side, Fiscal Year 2015 Eighteenth Edition Infographic
Issue Date: 2017-01-24

Download a printable 8.5"x11" Infographic of the 18th Edition of Side by Side.

Download

Cost:
FREE

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2015 Eighteenth Edition
Issue Date: 2016-10-19

The 18th Edition of Side by Side highlights essential peer groups and key statistics of the over 200 Opportunity Finance Network Member institutions with data from FY 2015. This reference guide - FREE to OFN Members and Allies - is essential for practitioners, investors, funders, and others who assess the activity and performance of the opportunity finance industry. It is also a valuable tool for CDFIs and can help to plan and better understand their organization’s performance relative to their peers. OFN Members and Allies, please contact Jacki Fox at jfox@ofn.org for the purchase code.

Member or Ally - FREE

Download

Cost:
FREE

Publications

Persistent Poverty and the Prevalence of CDFIs
Issue Date: 2021-07-08

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2018 Twenty-First Edition
Issue Date: 2019-11-22

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2017 Twentieth Edition
Issue Date: 2018-12-18

2017 CDFI Loan Fund Compensation and Benefits Survey Report
Issue Date: 2017-12-13

Inside the Membership: Statistical Highlights from OFN Membership: 2016
Issue Date: 2017-12-07

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2016 Nineteenth Edition
Issue Date: 2017-12-05

CDFI Loan Fund Technology Landscape: User Survey Results
Issue Date: 2017-06-28

20 Years of CDFI Banks and Credit Unions, 1996-2015: An Analysis of Trends and Growth
Issue Date: 2017-03-01

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side-by-Side, Fiscal Year 2015 Eighteenth Edition Infographic
Issue Date: 2017-01-24

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2015 Eighteenth Edition
Issue Date: 2016-10-19

Pages

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Washington D.C. Office

Philadelphia Office

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Publications

Persistent Poverty and the Prevalence of CDFIs Issue Date: 2021-07-08

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2018 Twenty-First Edition Issue Date: 2019-11-22

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2017 Twentieth Edition Issue Date: 2018-12-18

2017 CDFI Loan Fund Compensation and Benefits Survey Report Issue Date: 2017-12-13

Inside the Membership: Statistical Highlights from OFN Membership: 2016 Issue Date: 2017-12-07

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2016 Nineteenth Edition Issue Date: 2017-12-05

CDFI Loan Fund Technology Landscape: User Survey Results Issue Date: 2017-06-28

20 Years of CDFI Banks and Credit Unions, 1996-2015: An Analysis of Trends and Growth Issue Date: 2017-03-01

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side-by-Side, Fiscal Year 2015 Eighteenth Edition Infographic Issue Date: 2017-01-24

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2015 Eighteenth Edition Issue Date: 2016-10-19

Pages

Get in touch

Washington D.C. Office

Philadelphia Office

Visit Us

Persistent Poverty and the Prevalence of CDFIs
Issue Date: 2021-07-08

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2018 Twenty-First Edition
Issue Date: 2019-11-22

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2017 Twentieth Edition
Issue Date: 2018-12-18

2017 CDFI Loan Fund Compensation and Benefits Survey Report
Issue Date: 2017-12-13

Inside the Membership: Statistical Highlights from OFN Membership: 2016
Issue Date: 2017-12-07

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2016 Nineteenth Edition
Issue Date: 2017-12-05

CDFI Loan Fund Technology Landscape: User Survey Results
Issue Date: 2017-06-28

20 Years of CDFI Banks and Credit Unions, 1996-2015: An Analysis of Trends and Growth
Issue Date: 2017-03-01

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side-by-Side, Fiscal Year 2015 Eighteenth Edition Infographic
Issue Date: 2017-01-24

Opportunity Finance Institutions: Side by Side, Fiscal Year 2015 Eighteenth Edition
Issue Date: 2016-10-19