We’re excited to share that Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin has closed on a loan with FCI to support a brand new store and donation center at High Point Centre in Madison! This isn’t just a retail project, it’s a commitment to creating meaningful job opportunities and expanding access to vital community services. The new store will provide employment for individuals who have often been left out of the workforce, including those with disabilities. Revenue from the store will also help fund Goodwill SCW’s impactful programs like job training, housing support, tax prep, and voucher assistance for local families. We’re proud to stand behind organizations that make a difference. 👉 Learn more about our work at www.forwardci.org 📸 Pictured left to right: Lisa Menendez (FCI), Michele Harris (President & CEO, Goodwill SCW), Fausto E. Rivera (FCI) Let’s keep building a stronger Wisconsin—together. (fb)

CDFIs in Action: Who We Serve and Why It Matters In the third installment of our CDFI 101 series, we’re spotlighting the communities and causes that Community Development Financial Institutions are built to support. CDFIs like Forward Community Investments (FCI) exist to fill critical gaps in our financial system by delivering responsible, flexible capital to borrowers who are often left behind by traditional lenders, including rural areas, urban neighborhoods, and other parts of the country where access to financing is limited. 📊 CDFI investments fuel community infrastructure and opportunity When CDFIs create opportunities through access to loans, they help launch small businesses, create jobs, build housing, and support the facilities and services that communities rely on. According to the Opportunity Finance Network, nationally: - 85% of CDFI clients are low-income, and - 27% live in rural communities Proof that this work reaches deep into places where mainstream finance doesn't always go. How does FCI invest in community success across Wisconsin? ✅ From major metropolitan areas to rural towns, FCI has deployed over $300 million in capital to high-impact projects statewide, expanding access to critical community resources such as quality education and childcare, workforce development programs, social services, healthcare facilities, affordable housing, and more. ✅ Each of our loans is supported with a customized Borrower Support plan, providing personalized guidance and technical assistance to help ensure each of our borrowers achieve financial success. 📝Long story short? CDFIs are designed to meet communities where they are and move with them as they grow. We work in close partnership with our borrowers to strengthen their financial position, build organizational resilience, and prepare them to access capital through traditional financial institutions when the time is right. Learn more about our work at https://www.forwardci.org 📣 As the future of the CDFI Fund faces uncertainty, now is the time to act. Urge your elected officials to support continued investment in CDFIs using the tools from Opportunity Finance Network’s Policy Action Center: https://lnkd.in/eHzV6sP3 (fb)