The Iowa Center for Economic Success announced that the Iowa Center Loan Fund has been certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Clay & Milk reported. The Des Moines-based nonprofit, whose mission is to “empower Iowans with the potential to succeed as they pursue opportunities for financial success,” has been lending since 2015 but began pursuing CDFI certification in 2021. CDFIs are private financial institutions that are dedicated to delivering responsible, affordable lending to help low-income, low-wealth and other disadvantaged people and communities to join the economic mainstream. To be a certified CDFI, 70% of loans made must serve historically distressed investment areas, a low-income population, or other underserved populations historically denied adequate access to capital. More information can be found on the Iowa Center for Economic Success website.