I F F

Welcome to IFF, the largest community development financial institution (CDFI) exclusively serving nonprofit corporations in the Midwest.We provide flexible, below-market financing for nonprofit corporations serving low-income and special needs populations, connecting them with the capital they need to acquire or improve their facilities, to purchase equipment or vehicles, and to build net assets.IFF also helps nonprofit corporations make better real estate and facility decisions to support growth, program changes, and financial and organizational capacity. Through our comprehensive, affordable real estate consulting, we help clients in specific markets secure land, choose the right architects and contractor, or complete a real estate project.With our expansion into Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin, 2008 and 2009 have been record years at IFF. We have now provided more than $270 million in total financing. From child care centers, primary health clinics, and supportive housing to charter schools and community arts programs, IFF loans and real estate consulting have developed more than 10 million square feet of new or renovated space, and saved nonprofit corporations millions of dollars in loan fees, interest, and the cost of professional real estate advice.IFF conducts independent applied and primary research for and about the nonprofit sector, helping leaders make informed decisions about programs and services, resources, and public policy. We are innovators in the community development finance industry, experts on the financial health and management of nonprofits, and we lead policy and research for target markets such as charter schools and early care and education.IFF is a nonprofit corporation and an award-winning community development financial institution certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 1996. In 2008, IFF received the Wachovia NEXT Award for Opportunity Finance and Fast Company's Social Capitalist Award for its innovative lending model (see the Wachovia NEXT video).Formed in 1988 to provide nonprofit corporations serving low-income communities with affordable financing for capital projects, IFF today has four offices serving Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin. Our vision is to be the provider of choice for the infrastructure needs of nonprofits in the Midwest, and is grounded in the belief that with the right financial products nonprofits can stretch their scarce resources and stabilize facility-related costs. 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. IFF is a CARS-rated institution, receiving the highest rating for impact performance, the second highest for financial strength and performance, and a rating of "policy plus" for our public policy efforts. The success of our lending model and the demand for facilities-related expertise has driven IFF's growth and the development of:-new facility and equipment loan products, -a real estate consulting division, -a research and public policy department.In 2008, working with the Boston Consulting Group, IFF adopted an ambitious five-year strategic plan aimed at growing our lending and real estate services, establishing ourselves across five states and gaining recognition as a public policy leader. With IFF's growth and success, we promise our customers that we will strengthen their ability to move their organizations forward by improving their facilities and financial flexibility so they can stay focused on the programs and services that are critical to meeting their agency's core mission.