CalCCI serves as a unified policy and advocacy voice for California’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), working in partnership with legislators, advocates, and partners to strengthen and support the long-term health and effectiveness of the community development finance sector. We coordinate advocacy, engage directly with lawmakers and state agencies, and elevate the on-the-ground impact of CDFIs as trusted partners to local community needs.
Policy & Advocacy
Advocating for California’s Community Lenders
CDFIs Help California Deliver On Its Priorities
California’s Legislature has taken meaningful action to address housing affordability, access to child care and health care, and small business growth statewide. The challenge now is delivery—ensuring those policies translate into housing being built, access to care expanding, and local businesses growing and creating jobs. The question facing the state is how to move affordable, flexible investment at the scale needed to make those priorities possible.
The state cannot fund this production on its own. And the commercial banking sector is not designed to prioritize public needs—especially in low-income, rural, and tribal communities.
CDFIs step in where traditional lending falls short.
CDFIs help California deliver on its goals by:
- Financing projects aligned with state priorities
- Directing capital to communities traditional banks overlook
- Pairing public investment with private and philanthropic capital
- Operating with strong accountability and local knowledge
Campaigns and Initiatives
Recapitalize the California Innovation and Investment Program
The California Investment and Innovation Program (Cal IIP) launched in 2023 with an initial $50 million state investment, working through CDFIs, to help California expand affordable housing, increase access to care, and support small business and job creation across the state.
That initial funding is nearing its end, and renewal is needed to continue this work.
Cal IIP works by leveraging public investment through CDFIs. State dollars are combined with private and philanthropic capital from banks, foundations, and investors, allowing California to mobilize far more capital than public funding alone can.
In simple terms:
- The state provides $1
- CDFIs multiply that with private investment
- Up to $8 more flows into California’s economy
By supporting CDFIs working in urban, rural, suburban, and tribal communities, Cal IIP helps ensure capital reaches the housing, businesses, and essential services Californians rely on.
Budget Sign-On Letter
Community lenders, advocates, and partners from across California are urging state leaders to renew funding for the California Investment and Innovation Program in the state’s 2026-2027 budget. The sign-on letter highlights Cal IIP’s role in:
- Expanding affordable housing supply
- Supporting small businesses and local employers
- Financing child care, health care, and nonprofit services
- Leveraging private capital efficiently and responsibly
Learn More about Cal IIP
