Connect Humanity has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s CDFI Fund to support our journey to become a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). As an emerging CDFI, this milestone will expand our ability to finance the infrastructure and digital tools communities need to thrive in the modern economy.

The award provides technical assistance to prepare for CDFI certification. Once certified, Connect Humanity would become the first CDFI in the nation dedicated to the digital needs of rural and low income Americans, helping communities access affordable capital to build internet networks and expand digital inclusion in rural and underserved areas.

Why a CDFI?

Community Development Financial Institutions are mission-driven lenders that provide affordable financing to communities underserved by mainstream banks. They direct capital where it’s needed most, from affordable housing and small businesses to healthcare facilities and renewable energy projects.

Some CDFIs work broadly across community development, while others specialize in sectors like green finance or rural agriculture, where traditional lenders often lack the expertise or appetite for risk.

Despite the essential role of internet access in modern life, no CDFI today is dedicated to financing digital infrastructure or adoption. This gap leaves many communities without the flexible, mission-aligned capital needed to build and sustain local broadband networks, precisely the gap Connect Humanity was created to fill.

Building the capital market for community broadband

From fiber that’s unlocking thousands of jobs in Macon County, Alabama, to investing in resilient infrastructure for emergency services in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, Connect Humanity has demonstrated that it’s possible to sustainably finance broadband in places left behind by traditional capital markets.

But the demand for flexible financing for small and community-based internet providers far outstrips supply. Becoming a CDFI will allow us to bring new types of community finance tools into the field, from low-cost federal funding and bank investments under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to more impact capital and philanthropic dollars that can be blended to de-risk projects and scale deployment.

“This is a big step toward our vision of ensuring marginalized communities have access to the resources they need to participate in a digital economy,” said Brian Vo, Chief Investment Officer at Connect Humanity. “It’s a great platform to bring both lower-cost capital and technical assistance to communities that need broadband infrastructure, devices, and digital skills for economic agency and self-determination.”

None of this would be possible without early believers like the Truist Foundation. Their grant support and investment capital helped prove that mission-driven finance can unlock broadband for communities left behind by traditional capital markets. We’re also grateful to Methodist Healthcare Ministries whose funding was crucial to securing this award, and to Siegel Family Endowment, and W.K. Kellogg Foundation for their ongoing support.

Connect Humanity was recently named an IA50 Emerging Impact Manager; this latest award continues that momentum.

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If you share our conviction that digital infrastructure belongs at the heart of community development finance, we’d welcome a conversation. Whether you’re an impact investor, a foundation, or a community finance partner looking to put capital to work where it’s needed most, reach out to info@connecthumanity.fund.

About the CDFI Fund

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) expands economic opportunity for underserved people and communities by supporting the growth and capacity of mission-driven financial institutions. Connect Humanity is one of 56 organizations nationwide to receive a 2025 award. Learn more →