CDFI Award Notifications Underway as Credit Unions Report Conflicting Notices

Posted by Erin Hall on September 23, 2026

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund has begun notifying organizations selected for fiscal year 2025 awards. Congratulations to the credit unions receiving awards. At the same time, the notification process appears to be unsettled, and recipients should verify their current status in the Awards Management Information System before relying on any single communication.

On September 15, the CDFI Fund announced the final fiscal year 2025 awards under the CDFI Program and Native American CDFI Assistance Program, along with fiscal year 2026 Bank Enterprise Award and Small Dollar Loan Program awards. Formal notifications were expected through the Awards Management Information System, or AMIS, by September 30.

The announcement came only 15 days before the fiscal year 2025 appropriations were set to expire and followed litigation seeking release of the funds. Although the announcement addressed the immediate risk of expiration, it did not resolve broader concerns about the predictability and administration of the annual award process.

Conflicting Award Communications Reported

We have received reports that some credit unions were sent award denial letters and then received reversals shortly afterward. We have also seen incorrect or inconsistent information associated with the rollout. These reports suggest that award communications and account information may continue to change as the CDFI Fund works through the notification process.

What Credit Unions Should Do

• Be patient while the CDFI Fund reconciles notifications and account information. A denial notice may not be the final determination if a later communication or AMIS update reverses it.
• Check AMIS regularly. Treat the current information in the system as the primary place to confirm award status and review official documents.
• Preserve every notice. Save denial letters, award notices, emails, screenshots, and the dates on which AMIS information changes.
• Seek clarification when information conflicts. Contact the CDFI Fund through the appropriate support channel and avoid making irreversible operational or budgeting decisions until the status is confirmed.

We do not yet have a complete list of awardees or final award amounts. We will share an analysis of award trends, including credit union participation and geographic distribution, when reliable data become available.

Projected Fiscal Year 2025 Funding

The January 2025 Notice of Funds Availability projected approximately $320 million across roughly 715 awards, including $101.2 million for core Financial Assistance, $100 million for Housing Production, and $39 million for Technical Assistance. Additional funding was proposed for Persistent Poverty Counties, Disability Funds, and Healthy Food Financing. Final data are needed to determine whether awards matched these projections.

Key Distribution Questions Remain

Treasury has not published a complete recipient list or breakdown by award amount, geography, institution type, or credit union participation. Without that data, we cannot assess the awards’ reach, including outcomes for rural and smaller CDFIs.

The two organizations that sued Treasury in August reportedly intend to continue seeking a more predictable award process.

Recipients Should Prepare for Enhanced Oversight

Treasury emphasized audits, compliance reviews, performance monitoring, and scrutiny of spending, outcomes, civil rights obligations, and other federal requirements. Material noncompliance could lead to termination of unused funds, recapture, decertification, or other corrective action.

Recipients should promptly review award terms, assign responsibility for administration and reporting, and document expenditures and outcomes.

What Comes Next

GoWest will continue pressing for timely award data, a predictable annual funding calendar, and clear oversight expectations. We will monitor AMIS and other disclosures and share updates as reliable information becomes available.

In the meantime, credit unions receiving conflicting notices should remain patient, check AMIS regularly, and retain all related communications. For questions or to share your experience, contact Erin Hall at [email protected].

Posted in Advocacy on the Move, Regulatory Advocacy.