Session Information

Session Leader: Adina Abramowitz, Consulting for Change
Session Panelists: Alan Branson, ECD/Hope; Sara Morgan, FAHE Capital; Tammie Hoy, Low Country Housing Trust; Kimberly Zeuli, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond; Ruth Jaure, CDFI Fund; Cheryl Neas, Opportunity Finance Network; and Gayle Williams, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation

The Southeast is one of several areas in the country with relatively few CDFIs. In this pre-conference session participants will learn about the role and potential impact of CDFIs and together develop a replicable action plan to increase CDFI capacity in this region.

Supported by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Organized with the assistance of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, the CDFI Fund, and the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation.

Session Leader: Charles D. Hammerman, The Disability Opportunity Fund
Session Co-trainers: Nanci Freiman and Amy Ogulnick, The Disability Opportunity Fund

Do you want to learn about the largest minority group in the U.S.? People with disabilities and their families provide fertile ground for CDFIs as the newest untapped emerging market. Learn about the trends related to people with disabilities in housing, employment, and asset development and how they relate to your organization. How do autism, disabled veterans and aging baby-boomers fit into the world of CDFIs? The session will include an introduction to disability terminology and statistics, case studies of completed deals, and a discussion of new investment opportunities.

Session Leaders: William Guevara and Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy, Oweesta; and Mamata Datta, Opportunity Finance Network

Session Panelists: Robin Danner, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement; Tanya Fiddler, Four Bands Community Fund; and Jennifer Vasiloff, Opportunity Finance Network

The Sixth Annual Native Gathering takes a fresh approach this year with a single focus on the exciting new policy efforts in the Native CDFI field. Hosted by Opportunity Finance Network and the Oweesta Corporation, this half-day Gathering is designed for non-Native as well as Native professionals interested in learning more about Native CDFIs and their important work in transforming Native communities. New this year, the Gathering will host the presentation of the 2009 Native CDFI Awards!

Session Leaders: Nancy Andrews, LIIF, and Daniel Gross, Newsweek
Session Presenters: Julie Eades, New Hampshire Community Loan Fund; Martin Eakes, Self-Help; Kirsten Moy, Aspen Institute; Future Leaders to be announced; Sandra Braunstein, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and Joseph Smith, North Carolina Banking Commissioner

This year OFN celebrates its 25th annual Conference. At the Opening Plenary, a few of the industry's early pioneers will take us back in time to learn and explore our industry's history, its early struggles, and many successes that brought us to where we are today. Next, we'll invite some of the industry's rising stars – those who will help shape the next 25 years of history -- to join the pioneers and offer their observations on where we are today and where the industry is going. We'll end with a panel of policy experts who will add their voices to discuss the changes taking place in the financial services industry today, the largest financial system reform in seventy years, and implications for the opportunity finance industry. The opening plenary will give all of us a fresh perspective on this industry, the importance of managing through the current challenges, and the potential we have in the decades to come.

Session Leader: Vikki Frank, Credit Builders Alliance
Session Panelists: Sarah Chenven, Innovative Housing; Justin Maxson, MACED; James Gutierrez, Progreso Financiero; and Rob Vickers, LEDC

Track: Strategy & Operations

In the current credit economy, CDFIs are looking for ways to respond to the needs of their underbanked and underserved communities. Several CDFI loan funds are expanding into consumer credit products offering payday loan alternatives, debt consolidation loans, credit builder loans, emergency loans, car loans, appliance loans, and more. However, many other loan funds are mired with questions around interest rates, scalability, state lending licenses, consumer lending regulations (i.e., Reg Z), and additional consumer disclosure requirements. This session will bring together the experience and learnings of leading and emerging CDFIs that have been researching, launching and offering consumer loan products.

Session Leader: Gary L. Lindner, ACCION Texas
Session Panelists: Steve Lafredo, Citi; Grace Fricks, ACE; and Claudia Vieck, CAMEO

Track: Strategy & Operations (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Every CDFI lender expects its borrowers to demonstrate a sound business plan to qualify for a loan. But many CDFIs do not live up to the same standards they demand from those to whom they lend. This session will explore the components of ACCION Texas' successful business model, covering production, performance incentives, products, portfolio quality, loan process, organization, technology, communications, and results. This session will give you some real world tips in how to turn your non-profit into a real business.

Session Leader: Pete Farquhar, Self-Help
Session Panelists: Robert G. Sanders, TRF Energy; Adam Zimmerman, ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia; Nina McCormack, Mountain Association for Economic Development; and Brian Schneiderman, Self-Help

Track: Capitalization & Funding, Business Finance, Affordable Housing Finance, Community Facilities & Commercial Real Estate Finance, Sustainable Finance

Energy efficiency is a hot topic, with an explosion in available grant resources, real opportunities for job creation, and tremendous needs in the communities CDFIs serve. CDFIs are well positioned to deliver environmental benefit and cost savings to their constituents, particularly with the new grants and tax credits in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This session will draw on the experiences of seasoned energy efficiency lenders as well as those that are just beginning to find their way. We will explore the availability of resources, various financial models, and the challenges of encouraging program participation.

Session Leaders: Bill Guevara, Oweesta, and Phebe Quattrucci, Independent Consultant

Track: Affordable Housing Finance, Native CDFIs

In this session you will learn about some of the institutions, programs, and products that are making mortgage finance a reality in Native communities. Using Native CDFI models that are successfully in operation, session presenters will tell you what you'll need to know to make mortgage financing work in your communities. We will cover mortgage and guarantee products, as well as the critical issues of trust land and housing stock as they affect Native communities.

Session Leaders: John Hamilton, New Hampshire Community Loan Fund

Track: Business Finance

This session provides an overview of growth financing and an orientation to a variety of mezzanine deal structures with an emphasis on royalty. We will look at sub debt with warrants, debt with royalty, and pure royalty. All provide a risk-adjusted way to fill the gap between bankable debt and equity. These options are well suited for established businesses that want a way to raise capital that does not force them to give up control or sell their business. This is a high touch form of investing that eliminates the need for a valuation and an eventual exit event. Instead, the main part of the investor's reward is paid along the way, such as with royalty where it is based on a monthly payment based on the percentage of the companies' future gross revenue. In addition to deals and lessons learned, we will discuss the initial steps CDFIs can take to add these new growth financing options to their offerings.

Session Leader: Khanh Vuong, A.M. Best Company
Session Panelists: Diane Goodheart, A.M. Best Company, and Donna Nails, Independent Consultant

Track: Risk Management (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

The current financial crisis has shown how risk eluded traditional thinking about risk management concepts and practices. Systemic risk, financial market dislocation, and some new risk trends have altered the landscape of the financial industry. Initially, small banks and community-focused financial institutions fared better than larger institutions at the center of the crisis; however, economic pressures have spread to virtually all banks and CDFIs. While the economic downturn has created additional demand for CDFI services, it also has further tightened access to capital and funding. This combination has heightened the need for risk management at CDFIs. In this session, risk management is given a fresh perspective. The panel of speakers will discuss what has worked vs. what has not in current risk management practices in the financial services industry; why and how certain areas have failed; and what the implications are for CDFIs. The session will cover balance sheet risk (credit, liquidity, funding, capital, and interest rate risk), operational risk, strategic/corporate governance risk, and other risks. We will conclude with some topical risk management issues and practical tips to help equip CDFIs.

Session Leader: Jeannine Jacokes, Partners for the Common Good
Session Panelists: Alan Branson, Enterprise Corporation of the Delta; Ben Steinberg, Southern Bancorp; Charles Tansey, NeighborWorks America; and Janet A. Tasker, Small Business Administration

Track: Strategy & Operations

As financial reform legislation evolves, this session explores the question of whether or not loan funds should consider becoming regulated institutions. Panelists that operate both regulated (i.e., banks or credit unions) and unregulated affiliates will discuss the benefits and challenges of regulated models. The session will also explore the spectrum of alternative regulatory structures adopted by other financial sectors and discuss the applicability and feasibility for the CDFI industry.

Session Leaders: Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy, Oweesta, and Phil Black, Independent Consultant

Track: Business Finance, Native CDFIs

As Native CDFIs provide financing and technical assistance for the development of private businesses in Native communities, there is a growing importance in the link between the right kinds of development services and good lending. This training will bring together the concepts of the entrepreneurship development system as it relates to training, TA, and coaching, and how that ties together with good underwriting for business start-up and/or expansion as part of the community development goals for your Native institution.

Session Leaders: Grace Fricks, Appalachian Community Enterprises
Session Panelists: Jody Raskind, USDA Rural Development, and Jaunice Rufai, Small Business Administration

Track: Capitalization & Funding, Business Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Get an in-depth update on Federal funding options available to support your microenterprise and small business financing programs. Representatives from several Federal agencies will discuss their programs, what's new, and what can be expected in the coming year.

Session Leaders: Dione Alexander, Nonprofit Finance Fund

Track: Capitalization & Funding (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

In these difficult economic times, CDFIs are increasingly capital constrained as traditional sources of loan fund capital (largely banks) are less available. At the same time, more foundations are considering creative partnerships with CDFIs, leveraging Program Related Investments (PRIs) and Mission Related Investments (MRIs) as a means of augmenting their grantmaking practices. This session will investigate: how foundations can structure PRI or MRI partnerships to best fit CDFIs' resource requirements, and in turn, best support their end-borrowers; how foundations decide when and how to use CDFIs to quickly develop or grow robust PRI or MRI programs; and CDFIs' creative uses of PRI or MRI capital to increase lending. The presentations and discussion are geared toward both the investors and the investees of PRIs and MRIs.

Session Leader: Betsy Black, Cooperative Fund of New England
Session Panelists: Lura Mack, Adrian Dominican Sisters; Randy Rice, Trillium Asset Management; Thomas Wright, Office of Loan Guarantees, HUD; Dan Letendre, Bank of America; and Chris James, CDFI Fund

Track: Risk Management (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

This session explores approaches to proactively managing risk in a loan portfolio, particularly critical in tough, uncertain economic times. We will examine critical elements to be monitored and evaluated for loans in the portfolio; due diligence and research to understand the environment and risks; resources available to determine the condition of the loans and the portfolio overall; techniques to identify and evaluate trends in the portfolio; and processes and tools to monitor individual loans and the quality of the portfolio.

Session Leader: Diane Borradaile, Low Income Investment Fund

Track: Risk Management (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

This session explores approaches to proactively managing risk in a loan portfolio, particularly critical in tough, uncertain economic times. We will examine critical elements to be monitored and evaluated for loans in the portfolio; due diligence and research to understand the environment and risks; resources available to determine the condition of the loans and the portfolio overall; techniques to identify and evaluate trends in the portfolio; and processes and tools to monitor individual loans and the quality of the portfolio.

Session Leader: Keith Bisson, Coastal Enterprises, Inc. Session Panelists: Cindy Stewart, NCB; Bob Davenport, National Development Council; Greg Maher, LISC; Justin Maxson, Mountain Association for Community Economic Development; and Courtney Spangler, Rapoza Associates

Track: Sustainable Finance, Business Finance

Many CDFIs are becoming experts in green lending and investing that is good for the economy and the environment, and that supports a core mission of serving low-income people and communities. The Triple Bottom Line Investment Coalition is taking this message to Washington, DC and has received a positive response from lawmakers. In this interactive session, Triple Bottom Line (TBL) lending/investment practitioners will discuss TBL practice and policy. In the first half of the session, several TBL lending/investment practitioners will demonstrate how CDFIs are incorporating TBL impact into their lending and investment activities. In the second half, we will discuss the current policy environment for CDFIs with TBL strategies and next steps to mobilize resources and continue to increase TBL impact. Participants will learn about the Low Income Community Energy Efficiency Program in the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, a proposal for a TBL Investment Tax Credit, and how their CDFI can be a part of this important effort.

Session Leader: Cheryl Neas, Opportunity Finance Network

Track: Capitalization & Funding (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Get the very latest news on legislative developments, pending proposals, and current issues. Join OFN's Policy staff and others for updates and discussion of issues affecting CDFIs and their communities.

Session Leader: Kate Barr & Janet Ogden-Brackett, Nonprofits Assistance Fund

Track: Business Finance, Community Facilities & Commercial Real Estate Finance

While nonprofit organizations are appreciated as service providers and community assets, it is common to overlook their underlying business. Although nonprofits have different revenue sources than businesses, they have much in common with small businesses, including the need for help with cash flow and working capital. Successful working capital business lending to nonprofits requires underwriting and technical assistance that address the core business model and nonprofits' unique funding, governance and evaluation structures. Geared for those with experience with small business lending, this session will use current examples and cases to review underwriting factors for nonprofits including financial analysis, cash flow, governance, collateral, and technical assistance, especially in the current economic environment.

Session Leaders: Tom McLaughlin, Nonprofit Finance Fund; Thomas Seel, Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises, Inc; and Jim Thomas, Community Capital Development

Track: Strategy & Operations (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Nonprofit alliances and mergers are fast becoming more widely understood and accepted as valid choices than ever before. Yet they remain shrouded in mystery and misperception, thanks in large measure to media confusion and myth-making. This session will introduce participants to these strategies in an honest, straightforward way. Starting with a proven conceptual framework and moving through the typical steps involved in a collaboration, participants will learn to: distinguish between for-profit mergers and those in the nonprofit sector; use a framework for designing collaborations; recognize the conditions that make nonprofit collaborations successful; analyze their organization's potential for collaboration; deal with common internal and external sources of resistance to collaboration; and create and fund practical work plans for post-collaboration/merger integration. The session will contain a mixture of didactic and interactive approaches. The first half will primarily provide basic information and a framework and the second half will feature examples and case studies from CDFIs that are collaborating or have merged.

Session Leader: Lisa Hall, Calvert Foundation

Track: Capitalization & Funding, Affordable Housing Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Get an in-depth update on Federal funding options available to support your affordable housing development and homeownership financing programs. Representatives from several Federal agencies will discuss their programs, what's new, and what can be expected in the coming year.

Session Leader: Luis Pastor, Latino Community Credit Union
Session Panelists: Pilar Rocha-Goldberg, El Centro Hispano; Janis Bowdler, National Council of La Raza; and Rafael Prieto, Journalist and Latino Community Credit Union Member

Track: Strategy & Operations

In this session you will learn best practices for providing financial services and education to underbanked communities, with a focus on Latino/Hispanic immigrants. You will gain a better understanding of the barriers this population faces in accessing financial services and creating and maintaining wealth. This session will provide examples of alternative methods of asset building and providing financial education to unbanked and immigrant populations.

Session Leader: Anne Claire Broughton, SJF Ventures
Session Panelists: Cody Nystrom, SJF Ventures; Brian Schneiderman, Self-Help; and Rick Larson, Natural Capital Investment Fund

Track: Business Finance, Sustainable Finance

The cleantech sector is growing exponentially and the Obama administration has a strong emphasis on supporting the expanding new green economy via stimulus funds. Our panel will address how best to identify great green companies, along with strategies on financing and supporting those firms, both from the equity and debt side.

Session Leaders: Deborah Leland, Low Income Investment Fund, and Matt Perrenod, Housing Partnership Fund

Track: Risk Management, Affordable Housing Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Participants will explore the considerations when initially evaluating strategies to resolve troubled affordable housing loan relationships. Through an examination of options, including restructure, forbearance, and settlement, participants will explore strategies, action plans, remedies, costs, consequences, and timelines associated with each option. The session will also review how to recognize the early warning signs and evaluate the considerations critical to developing an effective strategy and alternatives, including the condition and character of the borrower, the value and priority of any collateral available, the funding and political environment, and the status of the borrower's other debt obligations. The session will provide the fundamentals to evaluate, develop, and execute successful workout strategies. While this session will touch on litigation, this topic is more fully explored in the related session "Workouts – Affordable Housing (or How to Make the Best Out of a Really Bad Situation)" which covers what to do when all other workout options have been evaluated or exhausted and litigation is necessary.

Session Leaders: Anne Dyjak, Nonprofit Finance Fund, and Al Bass, Self-Help

Track: Risk Management, Community Facilities & Commercial Real Estate Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Participants will explore the considerations when initially evaluating strategies to resolve troubled commercial loan relationships. Through an examination of options, including restructure, forbearance, and settlement, participants will explore strategies, action plans, remedies, costs, consequences, and timelines associated with each option. The session will also review how to recognize the early warning signs and evaluate the considerations critical to developing an effective strategy and alternatives, including the condition and character of the borrower, the value and priority of any collateral available, the funding and political environment, and the status of the borrower's other debt obligations. The session will provide the fundamentals to evaluate, develop, and execute successful workout strategies. While this session will touch on litigation, this topic is more fully explored in the related session "Workouts – Commercial and Facilities (or How to Make the Best Out of a Really Bad Situation)" which covers what to do when all other workout options have been evaluated or exhausted and litigation is necessary.

Session Leaders: Leslie Hoffman, ACCION NM-AZ-CO

Track: Risk Management, Business Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Participants will explore how to develop and maintain client relationships to ensure a successful and performing microenterprise and small business portfolio. The session will focus on effective collections strategies with an emphasis on early intervention techniques. The session will also review how to recognize the early warning signs and evaluate the considerations critical to developing an effective strategy and alternatives, including the condition and character of the borrower, the value and priority of any collateral available, the funding and political environment, and the status of the borrower's other debt obligations. The session will provide the fundamentals to evaluate, develop, and execute successful workout strategies, including the costs, consequences, and timelines associated with restructure, forbearance, settlement, and litigation. (You may also want to attend the related session "Workouts - Microenterprise and Small Business," which covers what to do when all other workout options have been evaluated or exhausted and litigation is necessary.)

Session Leaders:Margaret Berger Bradley, The Reinvestment Fund
Session Panelists: Susan Cahn, IFF; Keiva Dennis, National Housing Trust Community Development Fund; and Debra Schwartz, MacArthur Foundation

Track: Strategy & Operations

Introduced at the OFN Conference in 2007 months before its official launch, TRF's PolicyMap has since evolved considerably. Drawing attention most recently as a winner of CNET's Webware 100 Award, PolicyMap joined the likes of GoogleMaps among the top ten Web 2.0 location-based services winners. But most important, PolicyMap was developed by a CDFI, with thought to the needs of social investors like ourselves. Learn how CDFIs and other social investors are using PolicyMap as a tool to better understand the places where they invest, to compare places, and to consider the impact of an investment over time. Functionality has exploded with PolicyMap 2.0. Join the discussion to understand how your peers are using all the new features for mapping, for reports, and for decision making. See what might work for you, whether it is the only mapping and data source you access or if it complements a sophisticated GIS capacity.

Session Leaders: Veronica Stanford, Independent Consultant; Kristi Coker, Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corp.; and Chasity Savage, CDFI Fund

Track: Strategy & Operations, Native CDFIs

This course addresses management and reporting systems to facilitate: (1) financial planning, management, and reporting; (2) funder reporting with an emphasis on the requirements of the CDFI Fund; and (3) audit planning, preparation, and follow-up. This session emphasizes having appropriate systems and procedures in place to maximize board, staff and funder understanding of organizational financial condition, including establishing financial performance benchmarks, the impact of lending activity and total capitalization on your Financial Statements, and impact tracking and software considerations.

Session Leader: Doug Raymond, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Track: Strategy & Operations (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

In the current unsettled fiscal environment some CDFIs see opportunities for growth by acquisition, and others may be looking to combine with partners to advance mission, or pool resources. Decisions to enter into a joint venture, or to merge, acquire or be acquired by another entity present a host of issues for CDFI leaders, including the benefits and risks of affiliation, the structure of the deal and post-merger management, legal considerations on the transfer of charitable assets, due diligence, regulatory issues, fiduciary duties of the board of directors, community and funder reactions, and special risks and constraints in acquiring distressed or troubled businesses. This session will highlight the legal and business aspects of mergers in the CDFI sector. (This session is for CDFIs that are seriously considering or are involved in a merger. The session "CDFI Alliances: How to Collaborate without Losing Your Identity" is for CDFIs that are in the earlier stages of exploring mergers or other forms of collaborations.)

Session Leader: Lori Glass, The Reinvestment Fund
Session Panelists: Matt Josephs, CDFI Fund, and Chad Parker, USDA, Rural Development

Track: Capitalization & Funding, Community Facilities & Commercial Real Estate Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Get an in-depth update on Federal funding options available to support your commercial real estate and community facilities financing programs. Representatives from several Federal agencies will discuss their programs, what's new, and what can be expected in the coming year.

Session Leader: Mark Pinsky, Opportunity Finance Network

Track: Strategy & Operations

OFN is starting its next strategic planning process. Join OFN President and CEO Mark Pinsky for a detailed, inside look at OFN's strategic planning model. Learn how OFN is using Jim Collins' and Jerry Porras' powerful Built to Last principals to develop a plan for the next ten years or more. Join in a discussion of what the CDFI industry is learning from Collins' Good to Great and How the Mighty Fall. Find out how you can strengthen your organization's approach to strategic planning by using some of these same principals—and help OFN and your colleagues improve their approaches.

Session Leaders: Donna Nails, Independent Consultant, and Roni Monteith, ShoreBank

Track: Risk Management (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

In this session you'll learn why all CDFIs should have a Problem Asset Committee or PAC. We will answer and discuss the following questions: What is a PAC and how is it different from a loan committee? Why should your CDFI create a PAC? Who should be on your PAC? What should be discussed at your PAC meetings? How often should your PAC meet? You'll come away with a complete understanding of this important element of portfolio risk management.

Session Leaders: Douglas Bystry, Clearinghouse CDFI; Jeff Wells, Opportunity Fund; and Charlie Spies, CEI Capital Management LLC

Track: Capitalization & Funding, Community Facilities & Commercial Real Estate Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

This session offers a practical look at New Markets Tax Credits and their impact on the work of CDFIs. A brief overview of the program will be followed by concrete examples of the benefits as well as the challenges and difficulties practitioners have faced in the program's implementation. An honest and forthright discussion on valuable lessons learned will assist any CDFIs involved with or considering using New Markets Tax Credits.

Session Leaders: Peggy Downs, The Reinvestment Fund, and Tim Reinert, Epitome Solutions

Track: Strategy & Operations (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Capital is scarce and it will flow to those organizations that are deemed to not only have top quality front- end origination platforms but top quality back office loan servicing operations as well. You will learn the steps that TRF has taken to take its operations to the next level and the expectations that capital providers have of a top quality servicer. The CDFI industry has grown up organically, with most of us lacking the structure and systems that larger institutions require. Tackling these issues may matter more now than ever, given the current economic conditions and the imperative need to maintain tight controls over a loan portfolio. TRF shares how it has approached standardizing the process of document management and adding rigor to portfolio management as it has sought to help these roles ‘grow up.' TRF has engaged Epitome Systems (Business Process Automation technology) to formalize its workflow processes and make its now automated loan files searchable and secure. Epitome offers an affordable automated solution that can fill the "white space" between your silo-ed systems such as origination, servicing and accounting. TRF and Epitome will share experiences and facilitate a conversation among peers of what else helps CDFIs move to the next level. CRF will present what investors/capital providers expect from a servicer in this environment.

Session Leader: Mary Tingerthal, Housing Partnership Network
Session Panelists: Becky Regan, Boston Community Capital; Tom Fulton, Twin Cities Family Housing Fund; Matt Perrenod, Housing Partnership Fund; and Wayne Meyer, New Jersey Community Capital

Track: Capitalization & Funding, Affordable Housing Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

As communities across the country devise strategies to deal with the impact of the mortgage foreclosure crisis and the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program, CDFIs have been called on to take on new roles and new types of lending to address the need for capital to support neighborhood stabilization activities. Four CDFIs will tell their stories about how they are contributing to neighborhood stabilization efforts. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss their own approaches during discussion.

Session Leader: Lisa Hall, Calvert Foundation
Session Panelists: Chris Larsen, Prosper; Giovanna Masci, Kiva; and Ashwini Narayanan, MicroPlace

Track: Capitalization & Funding (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Prosper, Kiva, and MicroPlace have led Internet-based efforts to raise capital from a new generation of investors who are very comfortable with both finance and investing online. These three organizations have successfully raised funds to finance affordable housing, small businesses, microfinance institutions, and more. Discover how these efforts got off the ground, what challenges they faced, and how these innovative leaders see the future of sourcing capital online to fund social agendas.

Session Leader: Steve Rocco, Mission Markets and Vicky Stein, Community Investments

Come learn about a new electronic marketplace for the social and environmental capital markets. In the final stages of development and scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2010, Mission Market's goal is to increase the flow of capital to CDFIs and other issuers in these emerging sectors while providing double/triple bottom-line investors with a centralized platform where they can invest in multiple types of investments across these growing sectors. Come here how Mission Markets could help CDFIs raise new resources!

Session Leader: Brian Gately, National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions

Learn the pros and cons of starting up a credit union in your Native community. NFCDCU will share lessons learned to date, including what has worked as well as pitfalls to be aware of.

Session Leaders: David Fleming and Lisa Wagner, Oweesta

Introductory session on New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) and how NMTC have been used and could be used in Native and tribal communities for qualifying projects. Learn the basics and find out about some new partnerships and efforts now underway for Native CDFIs and Native communities.

Session Leader: Eileen Stenerson, Wachovia/Wells
Session Panelists: Trinita Logue, IFF; Mike Loftin, Homewise; Gary Lindner, ACCION Texas; and Alison Yonas, Latino Community Credit Union

Track: Strategy & Operations

Take an in-depth look at what the 2008 and 2007 Wachovia NEXT Awards winners have accomplished in the twelve and twenty-four months since they received their multi-million dollar awards. Gain insights into how these four highly successful CDFIs embody Good to Great concepts, how that has helped them on their road to success, and what implications their experiences could have for other CDFIs and the industry as a whole.

Session Leaders: Mini Datta, Opportunity Finance Network, and Bill Guevara, Oweesta

Track: Strategy & Operations, Native CDFIs

Based on Oweesta and OFN's NCFI training and TA program, this Native CDFI 101 training session provides participants with the elements of a successful Native CDFI that is responsive to community needs, performance-based, and growth-oriented. The training will examine the main CDFI building blocks, including human capital, financial capital, and infrastructure, and provide strategies for avoiding common obstacles to growth.

Session Leader: Cheryl Neas, Opportunity Finance Network
Session Panelists: Arthur Fleming, Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta; John Bendel, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh; Mike Crist, The Reinvestment Fund; and Jim Ferris, Neighborworks Capital

Track: Capitalization & Funding, Affordable Housing Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Legislation passed last year opened the door for CDFIs to become members of the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) System. Regulators, CDFIs, and the FHLBs must work together to implement this new opportunity for CDFIs. Hear FHLB staff and CDFIs talk about the membership process, its benefits, and challenges.

Session Leader: Michelle Young, A.M. Best Company
Session Panelists: ADiane Goodheart, A.M. Best Company, and Paige Chapel, Opportunity Finance Network

Track: Capitalization & Funding (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

During these challenging times, credit ratings are more important than ever for communicating with investors and depositors about your financial strength and soundness as well as your organization's efforts to successfully achieve its mission. Comprehensive and forward-looking credit ratings are powerful communication tools that promote transparency and build investor confidence. Such transparency, beyond the rating itself, can impact investor awareness, access to capital, cost of funds, credibility with Board members and regulators, deposit gathering (for banks and credit unions), and public and media relations. Representatives from A.M. Best Company, which has been rating insurers for 100 years and now rates community development banks, and CARS™, the ratings system for CDFI loan funds, will discuss how investors use ratings to make decisions and how rated institutions leverage those ratings with investors, depositors and board members.

Session Leaders: David Fleming and Vickie Oldman-John, Oweesta

Track: Native CDFIs

Discuss new and innovative development services provided by Native CDFIs and their partners. We'll cover services such as financial education, homebuyer education, credit counseling, entrepreneurship, tax credits, and individual development accounts (IDAs).

Session Leaders: Helen Dunlap, Independent Consultant, and John G. Brandenburg, Enterprise Community Investment, Inc.

Track: Risk Management, Affordable Housing (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

This session builds on the concepts examined in the "Managing Delinquency – Affordable Housing" session and focuses on the considerations when all other workout options have been evaluated or exhausted and litigation is necessary. Participants will explore strategies, action plans, remedies, costs, consequences, and timelines associated with the liquidation of collateral, litigation and foreclosure of real estate. The session will examine the impact of bankruptcy for secured and unsecured lenders. As with "Managing Delinquency – Affordable Housing," this session will evaluate the considerations critical to developing effective strategies, dual paths, and alternatives, including the condition and character of the borrower, the value and priority of any collateral available, the funding and political environment, and the status of the borrower's other debt obligations, but in the context of the litigation and foreclosure options.

Session Leaders: Anne Dyjak, Nonprofit Finance Fund, and Laura Kozel Raza Development Fund

Track: Risk Management, Community Facilities & Commercial Real Estate Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

This session builds on the concepts examined in the "Managing Delinquency – Commercial and Facilities" session and focuses on the considerations when all other workout options have been evaluated or exhausted and litigation is necessary. Participants will explore strategies, action plans, remedies, costs, consequences, and timelines associated with the liquidation of collateral, litigation and foreclosure of real estate. The session will examine the impact of bankruptcy for secured and unsecured lenders. As with "Managing Delinquency – Commercial and Facilities," this session will evaluate the considerations critical to developing effective strategies, dual paths, and alternatives, including the condition and character of the borrower, the value and priority of any collateral available, the funding and political environment, and the status of the borrower's other debt obligations, but in the context of the litigation and foreclosure options.

Session Leaders: Leslie Hoffman, ACCION NM-AZ-CO; Denise Dukette, Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund; and Dawn Johnson, Community Reinvestment Fund

Track: Risk Management, Business Finance (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

This session builds on the concepts examined in the "Managing Delinquency: Microenterprise and Small Business" session and focuses on the considerations when all other workout options have been evaluated or exhausted and litigation is necessary. Participants will explore strategies, action plans, remedies, costs, consequences, and timelines associated with the liquidation of collateral, litigation and foreclosure of real estate. The session will examine the impact of bankruptcy for secured and unsecured lenders. As with "Managing Delinquency: Microenterprise and Small Business," this session will evaluate the considerations critical to developing effective strategies, dual paths, and alternatives, including the condition and character of the borrower, the value and priority of any collateral available, the funding and political environment, and the status of the borrower's other debt obligations, but in the context of the litigation and foreclosure options.

Session Leader: Joel ben Izzy
Session Panelists: Cece Derringer, Homewise, and Sam Levitan, Professional Photographer

Track: Strategic Communications (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

It may seem counter intuitive, but the down economy is prime time for marketing to be more visible and for your CDFI to proactively reach out to customers and funders. Now is the time to focus a lens on your organization's value, tell your story dynamically, and demonstrate your CDFI's sustainability through thick and thin by being smart, strategic, agile communicators. A professional storyteller, a CDFI marketing director and OFN's professional photographer share ways to cost effectively drive your organization's marketing and fund raising while providing a return on investment.

Session Leaders: Tess Colby and Raymond Lanza-Weil, Opportunity Finance Network
Session Panelists: Carol Lamm, Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, Inc., and KC George, Community Redevelopment Loan and Investment Fund, Inc.

Track: Capitalization & Funding (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

Are you thinking about getting a CARS™ rating? Are you worried about current economic conditions? A commitment to transparency is more important now than ever before. Learn more about CARS™ and the benefits of being rated. Get all of your questions answered at this informative session featuring a panel of CARS™ Analysts and two rated CDFIs. Learn how CARS™ ratings are conducted, what it's like to go through the rating process, what CDFIs can learn from the rating process, how CDFIs can use the CARS™ rating to attract capital, and how investors are using CARS™ as part of their CDFI investment process.

Session Leader: Greg Bischak, CDFI Fund
Session Panelists: Charles McGee and Jeff Berg, CDFI Fund

Track: Capitalization & Funding

This session will explain the reporting requirements for the CDFI Fund's FY 2009 Recovery Act awards made through the CDFI Program and Native American CDFI Assistance Program. CDFI Fund staff will provide detailed information on the new quarterly reporting requirements for these awards, and procedures for submitting information.

Session Leader: Jeff Gelt, Opportunity Finance Network

Track: Strategic Communications

How do you put the latest Web technology to work for you to reach your branding and marketing goals? Some sites push the boundaries of interactivity but are all flash and no substance in the end. Learn what it really takes to keep an audience interested and engaged. Using real world examples of both Web sites and social media sites, Jeff will show you classic "do's" and "don'ts" as well as how to make the technology work for you, instead of you working for it. Come prepared for open discussions and Q&A.

Session Leader: Lynn Trojahn, ACCION NM-AZ-CO

Track: Capitalization & Funding (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

A fundraising professional with 25 years of experience and a love of asking for money from individuals, foundations and corporations is committed to instilling in you the confidence, passion, and excitement she has learned over the decades to help transform your fundraising efforts! Lynn's unique way of looking at philanthropy and the wealth of experience she has gathered during her career will lead to more private gifts and more fundraising enjoyment at your CDFI. Lynn will also teach you fun strategies to get your board, staff, and volunteers more engaged in fundraising

Session Leaders: Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy and David Fleming, Oweesta

Track: Business Finance, Native CDFIs

Explore the latest system-based training initiative for Native communities and learn the seven sectors of the NEED Model from those directly involved in developing and implementing this program throughout the country. Ideal for business lenders in Native communities but open to all who interested in systemic approach to enterprise and entrepreneurship development.

Session Leaders: Doug Raymond, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Track: Risk Management, Strategy & Operations

How do boards decide what to do? How do boards manage risk? How do they manage crises? The current economic and credit crises have tested many organizations, both for-profit and not-for-profit, and we can learn from the various ways that organizations have responded. In addition, new federal (IRS) regulations have been adopted, designed to force new behaviors by nonprofits, with the loss of tax-exemption the penalty for non-compliance. This presentation will address what Boards should be thinking about when confronting the current difficult environment, and how best to navigate the new IRS requirements.

Session Leaders: Lina Page, Opportunity Finance Network

Track: Strategic Communications

OFN uses the power of public relations to build credibility and create a positive reputation for the opportunity finance industry. Our PR success didn't happen overnight. Five years ago we were tickled to be in the industry trade press. Now, we and our Members have been regularly featured in the mainstream media, such as Newsweek, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, ABC News, Washington Post, and National Public Radio. Hear how we achieved these tremendous results. Go behind the scenes on some of our memorable wins to learn what it takes to become producers of news and not just consumers of news. How can you connect to our work? What should you be doing now to improve your visibility in the future? Don't miss your chance to make headline news!

Session Leaders: Colleen Schwarz, Community Reinvestment Fund, USA
Session Panelists: Tom Fulton, Family Housing Fund; Calvin Holmes, Chicago Community Loan Fund; Loren Berlin, Self-Help; and Steven Fireman, Economic and Community Development Institute

Track: Capitalization & Funding, Strategy & Operations (*Stabilization & Growth core curriculum)

In this session we explore operational and strategic changes CDFIs have made to realign their organizations with market conditions. The panel includes a CDFI that has launched into new products given market conditions, a CDFI that outsourced an activity in order to reallocate staff to another function, and a CDFI that changed the focus of its fundraising.