CDFI Fund Director Jodie Harris to speak at ninth annual CDFI Credit Union Update at GAC

Join Inclusiv and CDFI Fund Director Jodie Harris at the CUNA GAC on Feb. 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to learn more about the benefits and growth opportunities presented by community development finance and the impact that CDFI credit unions have on the communities they serve. The update will be held in the Washington Convention Center, Room 204 A-C.

This special gathering will cover the importance of CDFI-certified credit unions, which represent a growing segment of the industry. These 320 credit unions have more than $114 billion in  combined assets and serve more than 10 million members. CDFI credit unions are at the forefront of the industry, helping to build more inclusive, resilient and equitable communities. And many more credit unions are eligible for CDFI certification.

Since its first funding round in 1996, the CDFI Fund has provided billions of dollars to community development financial institutions. Credit unions have received $370 million in technical and financial assistance grants, and as a result, the CDFI Fund has become the single most important source of external resources for credit unions serving financially underserved populations and low-income communities.

Inclusiv is the credit union industry’s voice and advocate for community development and financial inclusion and was instrumental in the establishment of the CDFI Fund, working to ensure that credit unions can effectively compete for these resources.

Harris has worked in both the public and private sectors for more than 25 years. She joined Treasury in 2007 as an Associate Program Manager with the CDFI Fund, and later served as Senior Advisor to the Director of the CDFI Fund. During her time with Treasury, she has managed grant programs and developed legislative and policy proposals for a wide range of issues with a focus on access to capital, community development banking, and financial inclusion. Most recently, as the Director of Treasury’s Office of Small Business, Community Development and Affordable Housing Policy, Harris led a team of policy analysts in the development of policies and programs that support community and economic development nationwide.