One of America's leading nonprofit community development financial institutions (CDFI), IFF strengthens nonprofits and their communities through lending and real estate consulting. With total assets of more than $270 million, IFF is able to help nonprofits finance, plan, and build facilities that are critical to their mission and success.
Since 1988, we have been a trusted partner to nonprofits in every sector, including health care, education, child care, and housing. We help nonprofits grow and successfully complete their capital projects.
IFF serves nonprofits in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, with a focus on those that serve low-income communities and special needs populations.
Responding to the Needs of Nonprofits
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Through our loans and real estate consulting, nonprofits have renovated and constructed millions of square feet to house their programs and services, and saved millions of dollars in fees and interest that instead contributed to their long-term financial health. IFF also strengthens the nonprofit sector and promotes community development finance through public policy and research.
IFF is a member of Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), a membership organization of CDFIs. OFN produced this video to describe the work CDFIs do to support disadvantage communities across the country.
In 2008, IFF's innovative financial model was awarded the Wachovia NEXT award for Opportunity Finance. This video highlighting IFF's work was presented at the award ceremony.
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View this short video to learn how IFF helped KIPP Charter
School close achievement gap and improve their neighborhood in St. Louis
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Our Vision
Key to IFF's success has been a sharp sense of purpose, a broad perspective and an unwavering focus on achieving positive results. Those same attributes will drive IFF in the years ahead as we work to realize the following long-term goals:
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Foster Comprehensive Community Development
IFF understands that, by virtual definition, comprehensive community development demands comprehensive strategies—all major types of unmet community needs must be assessed. IFF will apply this principle through new and more effective strategies. We will not simply wait for community problems to come to us, but we will proactively identify ways in which our financial resources, technical expertise, and public policy and research capabilities can be best harnessed to meet the most acute needs of underserved communities. Click here to learn more about IFF's Community Strategies Initiative.
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Strengthen Bonds with All Sectors
IFF proves every day that in underserved communities social return and financial return are not mutually exclusive; they can and do go hand-in-hand. IFF will continue to expand its durable bridge between the public, private and nonprofit sectors—so as to channel public-private resources to communities with the greatest needs.
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Facilitate Nonprofit Capacity Building
On a daily basis, service providers in underserved and low-income communities face an abundance of challenges with a scarcity of resources—financial, physical and human. IFF recognizes that, for these organizations, capacity building cannot just be a matter of bricks and mortar. IFF will thus continue to help expand and enhance both the physical and human capacities of these organizations in ways that will generate benefits throughout their service areas.
A Sound Investment
IFF’s revolving loan fund is supported by grants and low-interest debt from our investors and funders, allowing us to use interest income to provide nonprofits with below-market rate loans while covering our operating costs.
Using CARSTM rating system, investors make better informed investment decisions and conduct prudent monitoring of leading CDFIs. IFF is one of only four CDFIs nationally to receive AAA+1, the highest CARS rating, for our impact performance and financial strength, and a rating of "policy plus" for our public policy efforts.
