Aeris Announces Release of 22 New CDFI Ratings

PHILADELPHIA, PA, May 14, 2020—Aeris®, the rating and information service for impact investments, announced today that it issued ratings and analysis on 22 community development loan funds (CDFIs) during the first four months of 2020. Among these were two first-time ratees: Midwest Housing Development Fund and Southern Bancorp Community Partners.

CDFIs are community-based financial institutions that deliver responsible, affordable loans to low-income, low-wealth, and underserved people and communities. Over the past 30 years, CDFIs have financed

  • small businesses that create living wage jobs and strengthen the financial security of community members,
  • healthcare facilities and charter schools that provide critical services in underserved areas,
  • the development of affordable and environmentally sustainable rental and ownership housing, and
  • access to healthy food through community grocery outlets.

Especially in times of crisis, such as the Great Recession of the late 2000s and the economic depression of 2020, CDFIs play the role of economic first responders. In the current crisis, traditional investors in CDFIs such as banks and charitable foundations have been joined by a small number of non-bank corporations to support CDFIs with emergency capital to keep American communities healthy and industrious.

The following 22 CDFIs were analyzed and rated by Aeris between January 1 and April 30, 2020:

CDFI Name Location Impact Area
Access Plus Capital Fresno, CA Economic Security
Community First Fund Lancaster, PA Economic Security, Education, Health and Food Access, Housing
Corporation for Supportive Housing New York, NY Housing
Entrepreneur Fund Duluth, MN Economic Security
Fahe Berea, KY Housing, Economic Security, Education
Florida Community Loan Fund Orlando, FL Economic Security, Health and Food Access, Housing
Genesis LA Los Angeles, CA Economic Security, Environmental Sustainability, Housing, Education
Greater Minnesota Housing Fund Saint Paul, MN Housing
Housing Partnership Network Boston, MA Housing, Economic Development, Education
Impact Development Fund Denver, CO Housing
Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership Indianapolis, IN Housing
Invest Detroit Detroit, MI Economic Security, Housing
Leviticus Fund Tarrytown, NY Economic Security, Health and Food Access, Housing, Education
Low Income Investment Fund San Francisco, CA Economic Security, Environmental Sustainability, Health and Food Access, Housing, Education
Midwest Housing Development Fund Omaha, NE Housing
MoFi Missoula, MT Economic Security
Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Chicago, IL Housing
NeighborWorks Columbus Columbus, GA Housing
Propel Nonprofits Minneapolis, MN Education, Health and Food Access, Housing
Renaissance Community Loan Fund Gulfport, MS Economic Security, Education
Southern Bancorp Community Partners Little Rock, AR Economic Security, Housing
True Access Capital Wilmington, DE Economic Security

The Aeris® Rating Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the fundamental financial and management components that indicate a CDFI’s capacity to manage and weather changes in its operating environment. In addition to Aeris Rating Reports, Aeris Performance Maps are available to track quarterly financial performance of rated and reporting CDFIs during these swiftly changing times. The full list of Aeris rated and reporting CDFIs can be found on Aeris’ website: https://www.aerisinsight.com/fund-selector/.

About Aeris

Aeris is a rating and information service for impact investments. Aeris has established risk management standards for private community loan funds (CDFIs) and has helped strengthen the development of impact measurement and management practices in the CDFI industry. Since 2004 Aeris has issued more than 900 ratings on CDFIs, based on thorough analyses of each organization’s capital structure, asset quality, earnings, liquidity, management and governance strength and practices. Aeris’ analyses have been used by more than 160 investors, including financial institutions, government entities, private foundations, and wealth advisors. Contact Aeris for more information: https://www.aerisinsight.com/contact/.