About IFF

IFF is a nonprofit corporation and an award-winning community development financial institution certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 1996. In 2008, IFF received the Wachovia NEXT Award for Opportunity Finance and Fast Company’s Social Capitalist Award for its innovative lending model (see the Wachovia NEXT video).

Formed in 1988 to provide nonprofit corporations serving low-income communities with affordable financing for capital projects, IFF today has four offices serving Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin.

Our vision is to be the provider of choice for the infrastructure needs of nonprofits in the Midwest, and is grounded in the belief that with the right financial products nonprofits can stretch their scarce resources and stabilize facility-related costs.

IFF’s revolving loan fund is supported by grants and low-interest debt from our investors and funders, allowing us to use interest income to provide nonprofits with below-market rate loans while covering our operating costs. IFF is a CARS-rated institution, receiving the highest rating for impact performance, the second highest for financial strength and performance, and a rating of "policy plus" for our public policy efforts.

The success of our lending model and the demand for facilities-related expertise has driven IFF’s growth and the development of:

new facility and equipment loan products,

a real estate consulting division,

a research and public policy department.

In 2008, working with the Boston Consulting Group, IFF adopted an ambitious five-year strategic plan aimed at growing our lending and real estate services, establishing ourselves across five states and gaining recognition as a public policy leader.

With IFF’s growth and success, we promise our customers that we will strengthen their ability to move their organizations forward by improving their facilities and financial flexibility so they can stay focused on the programs and services that are critical to meeting their agency’s core mission.