About the cdfa

This website is provided by the cdfa, the UK trade association for Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs). CDFIs are sustainable, independent financial institutions that provide capital and support to enable individuals or organisations to develop and create wealth in disadvantaged communities or under-served markets. Find out more about CDFIs.


As a trade association, the cdfa does not provide loans, funding or financial advice to the public, but our members do. To find a cdfa member near you use our search wizard.


Visit the cdfa‘s main website


See the cdfa‘s contact details


Mission
The cdfa‘s mission is to support the development of a thriving and sustainable community development finance (CDFI) sector that provides finance for disadvantaged and underserved communities and, as a consequence, contribute to the increasing prosperity of these communities.


Objectives
The cdfa‘s objectives are

  • To grow, support and strengthen the CDFI sector
  • To promote the sector to stakeholders and to government
  • To support members in achieving collective influence
  • To help forge closer links between individual cdfa members and stakeholders, where appropriate

How we are funded

The cdfa‘s core funders are the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Barclays and NatWest/Royal Bank of Scotland . The cdfa thanks these funders whose support and advice is much appreciated.


The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has lead responsibility for small business and enterprise policy. The Enterprise Directorate within BIS works across Whitehall, the Regional Development Agencies and key delivery partners to ensure that Government – national, regional and local – understands and responds to the needs of entrepreneurs and small businesses.

The Phoenix Fund, which was administered by BIS’s predecessor departments the DTI and BERR, provided almost £43m of capital, revenue and loan guarantee support to over 60 CDFIs between 2000 and 2006. Additionally, through the Community Investment Tax Relief scheme jointly administered by BIS and HM Treasury, CDFIs hope to raise upwards of £100m from the private sector. BIS also supports CDFIs by helping them to lend and raise finance under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee.

Website: www.bis.gov.uk


Community Development Banking at NatWest and The Royal Bank of Scotland serves four markets – social economy, social enterprise, small businesses in the 5% most deprived wards, and community development finance. Underpinning its approach to these markets are two fundamental assumptions – 1) things need to change and 2) more needs to be done.

Telephone: 020 7427 9139

Websites: www.rbs.com / www.natwest.com


Barclays is committed to promoting financial inclusion and supporting the community development finance sector. Over recent years, Barclays, through its Financial Inclusion Team, has supported the establishment and operation of a range of CDFIs, incorporating those lending to individuals, small businesses, charities and social enterprises.

Website: www.personal.barclays.co.uk