Scaling community development finance : examining traditional and innovative methods

Community Development Finance refers to the vast array of financial services and products created and delivered specifically to those individuals and groups that are not being served by traditional financial institutions. While this is not a new field, with some Community Development organizations in existence for decades, it is certainly an evolving one. There is a wide variety of products and models for this type of work, catering to the myriad needs of different communities. However, almost by nature, these individual organizations remain highly localized and operate on small scales of economic development.
This report examines three major types of community development financing, spanning the public and private sector, as well as traditional and evolving products. The models examined will be Community Development Finance Institutions, New Markets Tax Credits and Social Impact Investing. A thorough description of each type of financing will be followed by an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses. Once the merits and challenges of each model are identified, this report will examine different methods of scale, highlighting the adaptability to each model.