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- EIN 39-1815578
- 608-257-3863
- 211 S. Paterson Street Suite 160 Madison WI 53703 USA
- http://www.forwardci.org
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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Business & Industry, Economic Development, Microfinance, Rural Economic Development, Urban & Community Economic Development
Mission: The goal of Forward Community Investments is to grow the financial and management capacity of Wisconsin nonprofits that provide services to low-income and underserved populations by (1) expanding access to below-market rate capital for the development of affordable housing and community facilities and the promotion of economic development and (2) strengthening the leadership capacity of nonprofits through the delivery of high quality financial education directed at nonprofit leaders.
Geographic areas served: State of Wisconsin
Programs: Since 1994, fci--a certified community development financial institution (cdfi)--provided low-cost loans with flexible terms to wisconsin mission-based where community stabilization was the strategy used to promote long-term economic self-sufficiency. Fci's below-market rate loans--totaling close to $60 million and averaging $12+ million annually for the last two years--seeded and leveraged additional private and government funding at a rate of 6:1 for community projects across wisconsin, generating 2,000+ units of affordable housing, providing affordable childcare for 9,000 children, affecting more than 500,000 low-wealth individuals, and creating or retaining close to 4,000 jobs. Some of our other accomplishments in 2014 included: closing more than $10 million in loans to organizations across wisconsin; an award of a $2. 5 million investment from the federal home loan bank of chicago's community first program; winning our first-ever $20 million new market tax credit allocation from the us department of treasury's community development financial institution fund, we were one of only 87 organizations funded from a pool of 310 applicants; working within a multi-disciplinary approach across sectors, we facilitated a five-week long community-wide impact planning process for the benefit of the coulee region.
as a means of reinforcing capital investments, fci provides innovative advisory services to nonprofit organizations and their directors, all designed to expand leadership capacity and financial condition and grow long-term sustainability.
in 2014, the grants committee awarded $115,000 in grants, $77,000 in donor-advised funds to a variety of nonprofits around the state - all of them working towards social justice and equity. Grantees included center for resilient cities, badger rock center, great lakes inter-tribal council, foundation for black women's wellness, lussier community education center, ywca madison and nuns on the bus!