About this programme
CDFI Certification is a designation the U.S. Department of the Treasury's CDFI Fund gives to specialized financial institutions that serve low-income communities and people who lack access to mainstream financing. It is not itself a loan or a grant — it is a status. Certified CDFIs include regulated institutions such as community development banks and credit unions, and non-regulated institutions such as loan funds and venture capital funds. There are Certified CDFIs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
Certification is the gateway to the wider CDFI Fund ecosystem: Certified CDFIs become eligible to apply for the CDFI Fund's award programs (financial assistance and technical assistance) and for training through the Capacity Building Initiative. For a business or individual seeking financing, the value of the network is different — it identifies lenders whose mission and target market obligate them to serve borrowers that conventional banks often turn away, including businesses in economically distressed areas, low-income borrowers, and other underserved populations.
To become and remain Certified, an organization must submit a CDFI Certification Application through the CDFI Fund's Awards Management Information System (AMIS) and demonstrate it meets a fixed set of regulatory tests — legal entity status, primary mission, financing entity, target market, development services, accountability, and non-government status — and must sign a CDFI Certification Agreement and file annual compliance reports to stay Certified.
How it works
Certification runs on rolling submission — there is no fixed annual deadline. Applications are reviewed by the CDFI Fund's Office of Certification Policy and Evaluation (OCPE) in the order received; the Fund has stated it cannot currently estimate a turnaround time because of a submission backlog.
Applicants must meet a 60% Target Market threshold: at least 60% of both the number and dollar volume of the entity's arm's-length, on-balance-sheet Financial Products must be directed to one or more eligible Target Markets (a defined Investment Area, a Targeted Population, or both). This is confirmed with transaction-level data.
All applicants — new and currently Certified — must submit a Transaction Level Report (TLR) as part of certification, and annually afterward as part of the Annual Certification and Data Collection Report (ACR). New applicants file an abbreviated TLR covering their most recently completed fiscal year before submitting the application; CDFIs with an active CDFI Fund Assistance Agreement file the full-length TLR.
Every organization that was Certified as of December 7, 2023 was required to reapply under the CDFI Fund's revised Certification Application on a schedule the Fund set in June 2024. Organizations that missed that deadline lost their CDFI Certification. Currently Certified CDFIs with an application under review keep their status while it is pending, provided they meet ACR reporting requirements and have no disqualifying 'material event.'
Once an application is accepted, the organization must sign the CDFI Certification Agreement within 30 calendar days of notification. An organization cannot draw funds from a CDFI Fund program award conditioned on Certification until that Agreement is executed.
Who can apply
The CDFI Certification Application must demonstrate the applicant meets all of the following: is a legal entity at the time of application; has a primary mission of promoting community development; is a financing entity; primarily serves one or more Target Markets; provides development services in conjunction with its financing activities; maintains accountability to its defined Target Market; and is a non-government entity not under the control of any government entity (Tribal governments are excluded from this last test).
Financing Entity: the applicant's predominant business activity must be the provision, in arm's-length transactions, of Financial Products and/or Financial Services — meaning that activity consumes more of the organization's assets and staff time than any other single activity it engages in, even if it is not a strict majority.
Development Services: the organization must offer structured training, counseling, or technical assistance — with a defined curriculum or written goals — that promotes access to or success with its Financial Products and Services (for example, first-time homebuyer counseling, credit counseling, or business planning assistance). Routine customer service or loan-application help does not count. Development Services may be delivered in person, one-on-one, or online.
Accountability: the organization must maintain a Governing and/or Advisory board that is majority comprised of individuals accountable to the defined Target Market — for example, residents of a qualified Investment Area, low-income individuals, or staff of an unaffiliated, mission-driven organization primarily serving that market.
Legal Entity: the applicant must fully register with SAM.gov (obtaining only a Unique Entity Identifier is not sufficient) and, once Certified, must keep that SAM.gov registration active — a lapse can cost the organization its Certification.
How to apply
- Confirm eligibility against all seven Certification criteria before starting — review the CDFI Certification Fact Sheet and the Overview presentation on the application materials page.
- Register (or confirm active registration) with SAM.gov, and set up an account in the CDFI Fund's Awards Management Information System (AMIS).
- Determine and document the organization's proposed Target Market(s) using the CDFI Fund's mapping tool (CIMS) and a pre-approved Target Market Assessment Methodology where applicable.
- Complete and submit the abbreviated Transaction Level Report (TLR) covering the most recently completed fiscal year, to establish Target Market activity ahead of the Certification Application.
- Complete the CDFI Certification Application in AMIS, addressing each criterion (legal entity, primary mission, financing entity, target market, development services, accountability, non-government status) with supporting evidence, then submit for CDFI Fund review.
- If accepted, sign the CDFI Certification Agreement within 30 calendar days of the AMIS notification.
- Once Certified, file the Annual Certification and Data Collection Report (ACR), including the TLR, every year to maintain Certification.
Documents you’ll typically need
- SAM.gov registration (full registration, not just a Unique Entity Identifier)
- CDFI Certification Application (submitted in AMIS)
- Abbreviated or full-length Transaction Level Report (TLR), depending on award status
- Stock summary report identifying any owner of 25% or more of voting stock
- Target Market documentation (e.g., CIMS-generated Investment Area maps, board accountability documentation)
- Development Services documentation (curriculum, program materials, or written goals/objectives for counseling or technical assistance offered)
- Signed CDFI Certification Agreement (after acceptance)
- Annual Certification and Data Collection Report (ACR), filed yearly once Certified
Frequently asked
Is CDFI Certification itself a loan or a grant?
No. Certification is a status the CDFI Fund grants to a financial institution, not a financing product for businesses. It qualifies the institution to apply for the CDFI Fund’s own award programs, and it signals to borrowers that the institution’s mission and lending activity are directed at underserved markets.
How do I find a business loan from a Certified CDFI, rather than becoming one?
The CDFI Fund publishes a List of Currently Certified CDFIs on cdfifund.gov, updated regularly. A borrower can use that list, or the CDFI Fund’s own FAQ page for individuals and businesses seeking financing, to identify Certified lenders operating in their state or sector.
What is the 60% Target Market threshold?
A Certification applicant must direct at least 60% of both the number and dollar volume of its arm’s-length, on-balance-sheet Financial Products to its eligible Target Market(s) — defined Investment Areas and/or Targeted Populations. This is verified through transaction-level data submitted in the Transaction Level Report, and an applicant that falls short of the threshold is not eligible for Certification.
Is there an application deadline for CDFI Certification?
No fixed annual deadline — the CDFI Fund accepts applications on a rolling basis and reviews them in the order they are submitted. The Fund has noted a considerable backlog and does not currently give an estimated review timeline.
What happens if a Certified CDFI does not maintain its SAM.gov registration?
A lapse in an active SAM.gov account can result in loss of CDFI Certification, since maintaining that registration is part of the Legal Entity requirement the CDFI Fund checks on an ongoing basis, not just at initial application.
Do currently Certified CDFIs need to reapply?
Organizations Certified as of December 7, 2023 were required to reapply under the CDFI Fund’s revised Certification Application, following a schedule the Fund issued in June 2024. Organizations that missed the deadline lost their CDFI Certification; those with a pending reapplication keep Certified status while under review, provided they meet ACR reporting requirements and have no disqualifying material event.
What if a CDFI Certification Application is declined?
The CDFI Fund provides a detailed debriefing document within 30 days of notifying the organization, specifying which Certification criteria were not met and why, so the applicant understands what to address before reapplying.
Reviewed 2026-08-16. Programmes change — confirm current eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government authority.