From Policy to Power: Protecting What Our Communities Built
The Alliance’s policy and research work transforms the lived experiences of Black-led CDFIs into policy power. In 2025, amid a challenging federal landscape, our focus was clear: protect the funding, rules, and infrastructure that allow Black-led institutions to serve their communities.
When equity-focused programs faced heightened scrutiny, The Alliance stood firm. Through bipartisan advocacy, rigorous research,
and practical tools for members, we ensured Black-led CDFIs remained visible, informed, and positioned to influence the decisions
shaping community finance.
In a year defined by defense, The Alliance ensured the field did not retreat. Black-led CDFIs remained funded, operational, and recognized as essential to the nation’s community finance system.
In 2025, The Alliance
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Defended the CDFI Fund
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Protected fair lending and transparency
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Produced original research to shape the narrative
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Equipped members with practical policy tools
By the Numbers
Looking Ahead
In 2026, federal legislative movement may remain limited, but regulatory risk will continue. The Alliance will prioritize rapid response to rulemaking, coordinated advocacy, and expanded engagement at the state and local levels, where many decisions about capital deployment are now made.