ABOUT US

AMY ROWLAND
President


Amy has over 30 years' experience developing affordable housing and community facilities in low-income communities across the country, using public and private financing. She joined CDFA in 2018.

Staci olsen
cfo & program manager


Staci has over 35 years' experience in finance and has been with CDFA since its inception in 2012. She has managed deployment of all CDFA's NMTC activity to date.

Janell Duffin
Asset Manager


Janell has 20 years' experience underwriting and closing loans and over 10 years in asset and risk management. She is responsible for managing CDFA's NMTC portfolio.

Founded in 2010, CDFA is a non-profit Community Development Entity (CDE) with a mission of deploying capital in underserved communities in Utah by providing below-market financing coupled with strong technical assistance. CDFA’s staff, board members and consultants have extensive expertise in both New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) financing and community development.
We work with nonprofits and government agencies who lack real estate development experience or the staff capacity to secure financing for complex projects on their own. Our services include assisting clients on structuring financing, securing debt and equity investments, and navigating the finance and development processes. Working with project sponsors, we access the financial benefits of NMTCs to expand and develop facilities that are critical to Utah’s distressed urban and rural communities. 
In 2021, CDFA expanded its financial services offerings to local nonprofit community development organizations with the launch of its Flexible Community Development Loan Program. Designed for borrowers with financing needs outside of the loan products typically offered by financial institutions, potential loans under the program include unsecured lines of credit, short-term bridge loans, land acquisition, and pre-development loans. Loan sizes range from $500,000 to $2,500,000 with terms from 1-5 years. We work with our potential borrowers to create a loan that fits their needs. In alignment with CDFA’s mission, loans are available only to nonprofit community organizations serving low and moderate-income residents and/or operating in low and moderate-income communities in Utah.


Our Impact

At CDFA, we measure our success by the impact we have on the communities we serve. Since our inception, we have financed over $150 million in community development projects, creating over 1,000 housing units and 120,000 square feet of community facilities. Our work has revitalized neighborhoods, created jobs, and improved the overall quality of life for residents across Utah. We are committed to continuing to make a positive impact in the communities we serve.

                   Board of Directors

Kathy Hale, Ally, Board Chair

William Whetstone, UBS, Vice Chair

Wendy Leonelli, J. Fisher Companies, Secretary/Treasurer

Nefi Gamez, American Express National Bank

Kimberly Paulding, Utah Bar Foundation