CDFI Program — Financial Assistance and Technical Assistance Awards
CDFI Fund — U.S. Department of the Treasury
FA: $2M | TA: $250K
Treasury capital for mission-driven SMB lenders
Treasury's CDFI Fund awards Financial Assistance (FA) grants of up to $2M and Technical Assistance (TA) grants of up to $250K to certified Community Development Financial Institutions — mission-driven lenders, loan funds, credit unions, and venture capital funds that deploy capital to small businesses, affordable housing, and low-income communities. CDFIs use FA awards to expand their lending capital; individual small businesses access affordable loans and investments by borrowing from an CDFI, not from Treasury directly.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- $25,000 – $2,000,000
- Realistic amount
- For CDFIs applying to Treasury: FA awards average $700K–$1M. For small businesses borrowing from CDFIs: loan amounts typ…
- Deadline
- Annual — FY2026 CDFI Program Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) typically released Q1 2026 with applications due Q2/Q3 2026. Monitor cdfifund.gov for current cycle dates.
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump sum
Who qualifies
- Applicant must be a certified CDFI — an entity that meets Treasury's CDFI certification requirements (primary mission of community development, primarily serving underserved markets, provides financial products and services, maintains accountability to community)
- Organizations not yet certified as CDFIs can apply for CDFI certification simultaneously, but must receive certification before award
- Must demonstrate a Matching Fund requirement: FA applicants must match the award amount with non-federal funds at a 1:1 ratio (cash, in-kind, or loans)
- Target Market must be a Low-Income Target Market or Other Targeted Population as defined by Treasury
- Active SAM.gov registration required
- Applicant must have been incorporated/chartered for at least 12 months prior to the application deadline
- Individual small businesses cannot apply directly — they access capital by borrowing from a CDFI
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
- Funds intermediaries, not businesses directly
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Financial Assistance (FA) awards: Lending capital (loans, loan loss reserves, equity investments for on-lending to the CDFI's target market)
- FA awards: Operating capital tied to expanding lending activity
- Technical Assistance (TA) awards: Staff training and capacity building
- TA awards: Technology and systems to improve lending operations
- TA awards: Consultant fees for program development or compliance
- TA awards: Financial education for target market communities
Ineligible expenses
- Matching funds from federal sources (federal funds cannot match federal funds)
- Lobbying activities
- Administrative overhead not tied to lending or technical assistance delivery
- Costs incurred before award execution
How to apply
-
1
Obtain or verify CDFI certification
If not already certified, apply for CDFI certification at cdfifund.gov. Certification requires demonstrating primary community development mission, target market focus, provision of financial products, and accountability to community. Certification processing can take 6+ months — apply well in advance of the NOFA cycle.
~40 hrs
-
2
Register and prepare on the Awards Management Information System (AMIS)
Create or verify your organization's account on AMIS — the CDFI Fund's proprietary application and award management portal at amis.cdfifund.gov. Confirm your CDFI certification is current and active in AMIS. Download the current NOFA and supplemental application materials.
~6 hrs
-
3
Develop the application narrative
Write the program narrative addressing CDFI Fund selection criteria: organizational capacity and track record, target market demographics and needs, financial products offered, community impact, and strategic use of funds. Provide data on your current lending portfolio and pipeline.
~60 hrs
-
4
Document Matching Funds
Identify and document your 1:1 matching funds. Acceptable sources include philanthropic grants, corporate donations, state/local government funds, and bank Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) investments. Obtain written commitments from each source. Matching fund documentation is heavily scrutinized.
~20 hrs
-
5
Submit application via AMIS
Complete and submit all required sections in AMIS before the NOFA deadline. Upload financial statements (2 years audited), organizational documents, board list, and matching fund commitments. AMIS has strict file format requirements.
~10 hrs
Industry & certifications
NAICS codes: 522298, 522390, 813920
Small businesses don't apply here — find a local CDFI lender at cdfifund.gov/research/cdfi-locator and ask for a loan. The application process described is for CDFI institutions seeking Treasury grants.
Deadline & timing
The CDFI Fund releases a Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) annually, typically in February–March, with applications due in April–June. Award announcements typically follow in the fall. FY2025 NOFA was released March 2025 with applications due May 2025. FY2026 cycle expected to follow the same pattern. Small businesses seeking CDFI loans don't apply to Treasury — they find a local CDFI lender at cdfifund.gov/research/cdfi-locator.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.