Provide catalytic funding delivering affordable lending to more than 5,000 borrowers in low-wealth communities with OFN and Focusing Philanthropy
Provide catalytic funding delivering affordable lending to more than 5,000 borrowers in low-wealth communities with OFN and Focusing Philanthropy
As always, Focusing Philanthropy covers all overhead costs. 100% of every donation will go to the Expanding Access To Credit initiative.
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THE NEED
The average White family in the U.S. has 10 times the wealth of the average Black family and 7.5 times the wealth of the average Latino family.
A key contributor to continuing—-often multigenerational—-poverty is a lack of access to affordable lending. Americans need credit to buy a home or start or grow a business, two primary drivers of wealth.
However, low-income individuals and communities are historically boxed out of traditional financial resources.
THE APPROACH
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) loan to people and in places chronically underserved by mainstream finance, providing affordable loans accompanied by active mentorship and other services that increase the prospects of success for the borrower. Workable lending rates allow low-income borrowers to launch or grow small businesses resulting in job creation or retention as well as to develop or purchase homes, thereby strengthening their communities.
Focusing Philanthropy (FP) is partnering with Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), the national network of CDFIs, to catalyze investment in Black, Latino, Native, and low-wealth communities. OFN has 35+ years of success in helping maximize the effectiveness of community lenders. Administered by OFN, our Bold Initiative will provide catalytic equity grants to ~25 promising CDFIs, enabling them to access more debt and invest further in resources to better serve their communities. The $5M FP anchor commitment will be matched 1:1 by the MacArthur Foundation, with the resulting $10M grant pool multiplied by up to 7x debt funding from lenders to OFN. As a result, ~$70M in affordable loans will flow to low-wealth borrowers.
CAMPAIGN IMPACT
Expanding Access to Credit will give more than 5K borrowers who would have difficulty qualifying for traditional home or business loans the opportunity to grow wealth via asset appreciation and invest in the future of their families and communities. In addition to creating or maintaining ~4.1K jobs and financing 950 housing units, loans made possible by the campaign will have a multiplier effect as they are repaid at a rate of more than 97% and recycled through further rounds of lending.
Campaign donations can be made to Focusing Philanthropy, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are fully tax deductible and 100% of funds contributed go to the Expanding Access To Credit initiative. All Focusing Philanthropy costs are covered by its founders.