Micro enterprise finance is a service our members provide that is particularly important in this difficult economic climate. Continue reading
Category: News
Awards recognition for community loans portal
Friday 15 October. The cdfa is celebrating today after learning that a new finance portal it is developing has been shortlisted for a prestigious international award for microfinance. Continue reading
Enterprise Allowance welcome – but banks may still not lend
Tuesday 5 October. The cdfa has welcomed the Government’s Enterprise Allowance scheme, announced at the Conservative Party Conference by Iain Duncan Smith, which will provide would-be entrepreneurs with coaching, mentoring and a financial package worth up to £2000. Continue reading
Pick of the blogs: Regional Growth Fund and Local Enterprise Partnerships
Wednesday 22 September. With the Liberal Democrat party conference in full swing, the week has been packed with news (and gossip) about the Regional Development Agencies, the Local Enterprise Partnerships that are being set up to replace them, and the £500m Regional Growth Fund. Here is our pick of recent blogs and websites covering these issues. Continue reading
Financial Times article on microfinance quotes cdfa and Fredericks
Monday 13 September. Small business owners in the UK are turning to CDFIs as a result of high street banks continuing to refuse loan applications, according to a page 3 article on microfinance in the Financial Times. Continue reading
Centre for Cities report on cross boundary working and LEPs
Monday 13 September. The Centre for Cities has produced a new report which looks at the challenges facing the ten largest Local Economic Partnerships that have been proposed. Continue reading
BIS publishes details of 56 Local Enterprise Partnership proposals
Tuesday 7 September. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has published a list of 56 new Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) that have been proposed by businesses and local authorities. Continue reading
Economist piece on US CDFI sector
Tuesday 31 August. Despite the recent closure of a leading light in the US CDFI movement, The Economist finds that the rest of the sector is “stronger than ever”. Continue reading
Turning mission impossible into mission accomplished
Thursday 26 August. We need to demonstrate that our businesses are lean, mean, fighting machines to secure our place on the Coalition Government’s agenda. Continue reading
Banks say demand is falling, CDFIs say it is rising. Who is right?
Monday 9 August. Banks have changed their view of what a viable business looks like, with the result that many SMEs are losing out. But if they work through CDFIs, banks can reach and develop new markets. Continue reading