CU Strategic Planning Applauds Intact CDFI Fund Budget Following Brief Government Shutdown

Stacy Augustine

CU Strategic Planning, a leading provider for mission-focused credit unions, expressed gratitude to Congress for maintaining the $334 million appropriation for the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund in the recently passed continuing resolution that ended the brief federal government shutdown.

“It’s good to see that we’re back to a normal funding process for the CDFI Fund,” CU Strategic Planning CXO Mike Beall stated. “This paves the way for continued appropriations success in 2027.”

The appropriation represents a critical victory for the nearly 1,400 certified CDFIs nationwide, a third of which are credit unions, that rely on grant funding to expand financial services in communities often overlooked by traditional financial institutions. Recent research from Filene Research Institute demonstrates that CDFI credit unions achieve stronger financial performance than their non-CDFI counterparts while simultaneously serving underserved populations—member growth rates nearly double, loan growth increases by over 50% and asset growth outpaces peers by 1.77 percentage points.

“We are very pleased that Congress has fully funded the CDFI Fund for 2026,” Judy DeLucca, CEO of New Orleans Firemen’s Federal Credit Union, said. “This critical support allows us to continue doing the important work of serving people who deserve access to fair and affordable financial services, and it represents a meaningful win for small credit unions across the country. This is exactly the outcome we hoped for.”

Throughout the shutdown and appropriations process, CU Strategic Planning worked closely with CDFI credit unions to help them share their impact stories with legislators. Those advocacy efforts made a difference.

Southwest Louisiana Credit Union President/CEO Chad Miller observed, “Over the last several months, Southwest Louisiana CU has worked closely with CU Strategic Planning on sharing the story of small CDFIs like ours with our legislators, and I strongly believe that this partnership played a key role in ensuring the future of the Fund. We spoke with several key regional offices of our members’ legislators, including Speaker Mike Johnson’s office, to highlight the direct impact of CDFI funds on low- to moderate-income constituents and small businesses in rural Louisiana. Real stories of real members, including one SWLACU small business member that we were able to refinance out of a predatory 65% line of credit and save them approximately $5,000 per month in expenses. All of which is possible because of SWLACU’s CDFI status.”

CU Strategic Planning President Stacy Augustine emphasized the multiplier effect of CDFI funding. “The $334 million appropriated for the CDFI Fund enables CDFIs to put billions of dollars back to work in the communities they serve,” she said. “The credit unions we work with consistently demonstrate how targeted investments can create financial stability for families, support small businesses and expand access to affordable housing.”

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