By Godson Umejiego, Correspondent USA

The US Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) has released  the application data for the fiscal year (FY) 2021 round of its Small Dollar Loan Programme (SDL Programme).

The SDL Programme is a new programme authorized by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-203) that is intended to expand consumer access to financial institutions by providing alternatives to high cost small dollar lending. Up to US$13.5 million in awards is available through the FY 2021 round of the SDL Programme, which is the first award round of the programme. Through the SDL Programme, the CDFI Fund will provide:

Grants for Loan Loss Reserves (LLRs): The awards will enable a Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) to establish a loan loss reserve fund in order to defray the costs of establishing or maintaining a small dollar loan programme.

Grants for Technical Assistance (TA): The awards will support technology, staffing, and other eligible activities to enable a Certified CDFI to establish and maintain a small dollar loan programme.

A total of 81 organizations submitted applications requesting nearly US$26.3 million in funding, which is nearly two times the amount of funding available. Specifically:US

Five organizations requested nearly US$1.6 million in LLR awards;

15 organizations requested US$2.2 million in TA awards; and

61 organizations requested US$22.5 million for a combination TA award and LLR award.

Per the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA), eligible applicants may request up to: US$150,000 for TA awards; US$350,000 for LLR awards; and up to US$500,000 in total for combination TA/LLR awards.

Of the 81 applications submitted by CDFIs, 43 were from loan funds, 26 were from credit unions, and 12 were from banks or bank holding companies. Nationwide, FY 2021 SDL Programme applicants are headquartered in 35 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The FY 2021 application period closed on June 29, 2021. The CDFI Fund currently expects to announce the awards in September 2021.