OFN Training
Overview
OFN’s new training resources and tools aim to help CDFI practitioners and partners expand the knowledge and skills they need to achieve the greatest impact in the communities they serve.
OFN is currently offering CDFI 101 Orientation, CDFI Financial Management, CDFI 201: Camel Framework Fundamentals, and Climate Lending 101. We will continue rolling out trainings on a variety of topics in the coming months, such as workshops on Racial Equity and Inclusion; and Impact Measurement and Management.
Available Trainings
CDFI 101 Orientation
OFN’s CDFI 101 Orientation builds off our CDFI 101 Toolkit and aims to help participants:
- Connect more deeply to the CDFI industry and common goals we share
- Understand what it means to be part of a movement built over the past 50 years
- Be inspired by the industry’s roots
- Increase understanding of what CDFIs are, how CDFIs do what they do, why CDFIs exist, what the industry’s impact has been to date, and current trends
Make connections with fellow attendees in an interactive training that includes:
- Discussions that dive deeper into the history of the industry, CDFI business model, and current trends and priority topics
- Facilitated networking
- Opportunities to hear from early CDFI practitioners and other CDFI leaders
CDFI 201: Camel Framework Fundamentals
This ½ day workshop is intended to help practitioners deepen their understanding of the CDFI business model through the lens of the CAMEL framework. CAMEL is a risk assessment framework used by regulators and financial institutions to assess the financial health of their organizations by identifying and monitoring trends, potential risks, and vulnerabilities. The workshop will walk attendees through the core components of the CAMEL framework – capital adequacy, asset quality, management, earnings, and liquidity. Through interactive exercises and case studies, attendees will learn how each component is measured, evaluated, and how to utilize the framework to understand and analyze their CDFI’s operations and business model.
Climate Lending 101 Workshop
Interested in climate financing but unsure of where to start? Attend this ½ day workshop for a primer on climate financing concepts and to understand the business case for CDFI climate lending at the intersection of climate finance and environmental justice. Attendees will build an understanding of the landscape of climate financing opportunities, products and practices, as well as a high-level overview of leading practices on how to structure and implement them. The workshop will conclude by guiding practitioners to think through ways in which they can operationalize these concepts and products into their own work.
Financial Management Workshop
This half-day workshop is intended to help practitioners build their CDFI’s organizational resiliency through financial management. The workshop will walk attendees through the CAMEL framework and key best practices; share corresponding excel tools developed by OFN, such as a KPI dashboard; and help practitioners start tailoring these concepts, materials, and tools to the needs of their CDFI.
2023 Training Calendar*
OFN offers in-person and virtual options for our CDFI 101 Orientation and other training.
*Please see event registration pages for the most up-to-date details on available training.
Option 1
In-person, half-day (3-hour) training adjacent to OFN events
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 - Past
OFN is offering two new in-person training programs the day before OFN’s regional meeting in Phoenix on April 25! Attendees can register solely for a training or add on training(s) to their regional meeting registration. Both trainings will take place at Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix Campus (the Concho Room).
OFN thanks Citi Foundation for supporting these trainings.
Financial Management Workshop
This half-day workshop is intended to help practitioners build their CDFI’s organizational resiliency through financial management. The workshop will walk attendees through the CAMEL framework and key best practices; share corresponding Excel tools developed by OFN, such as a KPI dashboard; and help practitioners start tailoring these concepts, materials, and tools to the needs of their CDFI.
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm MST
CDFI 101 Orientation
Are you new to the CDFI industry or a current practitioner who wants to learn more about the CDFI industry? Join us for this half-day orientation to dive into the evolution of the industry; engage in networking; participate in facilitated discussions on CDFI impact and current trends; and hear from CDFI leaders.
Time: 2:00-5:00pm MST
Tuesday, June 20, 2023 - Past
Available training: CDFI 101 Orientation
Location: Chicago, IL
Related OFN Event: OFN Small Business Finance Forum (June 20-21, 2023)
Sold Out!
Wednesday, June 21, 2023 - Past
Available training: Climate Lending 101 Workshop
Location: Chicago, IL
Related OFN Event: OFN Small Business Finance Forum (June 20-21, 2023)
Sold Out!
Thursday, June 22, 2023 - Past
Available training: Financial Management Workshop
Location: Chicago, IL
Related OFN Event: OFN Small Business Finance Forum (June 20-21, 2023)
Sold Out!
Monday, July 10, 2023 - Past
Available training: CDFI 101 Orientation
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Related OFN Event: Minneapolis Regional Meeting
Wednesday, July 12, 2023 - Past
Available training: Financial Management Workshop
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Related OFN Event: Minneapolis Regional Meeting
Tuesday, August 8, 2023 - Past
Available training: CDFI 101 Orientation
Are you new to the CDFI industry or a current practitioner who wants to learn more about the CDFI industry? Join us for this half-day orientation to dive into the evolution of the industry; engage in networking; participate in facilitated discussions on CDFI impact and current trends; and hear from CDFI leaders.
Location: Boston, MA
Related OFN Event: Boston Regional Meeting
Tuesday, August 8, 2023 - Past
Available training: Climate Lending 101 Workshop
Interested in climate financing but unsure of where to start? Attend this ½ day workshop for a primer on climate financing concepts and to understand the business case for CDFI climate lending at the intersection of climate finance and environmental justice. Through this training, attendees will build their baseline knowledge of the landscape of climate financing opportunities, including a high-level overview of lending products and practices.
Location: Boston, MA
Related OFN Event: Boston Regional Meeting
Thursday, August 10, 2023 - Past
Available training: Financial Management Workshop
This half-day workshop is intended to help practitioners build their CDFI’s organizational resiliency through financial management. The workshop will walk attendees through the CAMEL framework and key best practices; share corresponding Excel tools developed by OFN, such as a KPI dashboard; and help practitioners start tailoring these concepts, materials, and tools to the needs of their CDFI.
Location: Boston, MA
Related OFN Event: Boston Regional Meeting
October 15, 2023 - Past
Available trainings: CDFI 101: Orientation to the Industry, CDFI Certification Readiness, Unlocking the Debt Capital Markets: An Introductory Seminar for CDFIs
Location: Washington, D.C.
Related OFN Event: OFN Conference (October 15-18, 2023), Pre-Conference Day
Arrive a day early or stay a day later to take advantage of training opportunities at the Conference! These workshop-style, half-day and full-day courses provide more comprehensive, interactive learning than our standard breakout sessions.
Please note training availability is limited and there is a separate registration fee.
How to register?
Registration for trainings will open when registration for the related OFN event opens. Interested participants can either register solely for the training or add-on an OFN training when registering for the related OFN event.
Option 2
Custom virtual or in-person orientation
If you are seeking to host a CDFI orientation or other training and have at least 20 attendees, OFN can provide a custom training virtually or in-person.
- Complete this survey to request a custom seminar.
- Pricing will vary based on type of orientation (in-person or virtual), number of attendees, type of space required for the orientation (e.g., whether or not OFN would need to find an event space), and other variables. OFN will share estimated pricing for the orientation once the survey has been submitted and your request has been reviewed.
- If you have any questions regarding custom training, please reach out to Sindhu Lakshmanan.
Toolkit Resources
CDFI 101 Toolkit
OFN's CDFI 101 toolkit aims to help practitioners feel better connected to the CDFI industry and the common goals we all share; understand what it means to be a part of the movement built over the past 50 years; and be inspired by the industry’s roots.
Download
Talent Recruitment, Retention & Management
This toolkit aims to assist CDFIs with finding the right people, with the right skills, at the right time for the organization; supporting equitable hiring, retention, and advancement practices; providing insights into staffing trends; and offering actionable examples that make it easy to implement the leading practices shared.
Download
Operationalizing Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (REIA) into Lending Practices
This toolkit was developed to help CDFIs incorporate an explicit focus on racial equity, inclusion, and accessibility into their lending practices. You'll find a guide structured in four sections, each with suggested actions and activities you can undertake individually or as a group.
Download