In the wake of First Republic and other bank failures, what’s in store for CDFIs? | Amir Kirkwood, CEO, VCC

Welcome to the first episode of Climate Money Work, hosted by author and strategist Keesa Schreane. In today’s episode, we sit down with Amir Kirkwood, President and CEO of Virginia Community Capital (VCC), a statewide Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that is a pioneer in its field. VCC has nearly 500 million in assets under management, 900 total projects financed, over 11,000 jobs created and retained and nearly 10,000 housing units financed.

We chat with Amir about what’s ahead for the banking sector in the wake of First Republic, the key differences between CDFIs and traditional lending banks, where CDFIs have played key roles in major events like the civil rights movement and natural disasters, as well as what’s coming down the pipeline with the Inflation Reduction Act. 

To view a transcript of this episode, visit https://www.keesaschreane.com/podcast. 

For show feedback, pitches and business enquiries, please email cmw@shrugcontent.com. 

References

• Virginia Community Capital: https://www.vacommunitycapital.org/ 
• Opportunity Finance Network: https://www.ofn.org/ 

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• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keesac.schreane2215 
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Keesa’s latest book, Gambling on Green: https://www.keesaschreane.com/gambling-on-green-book 

About Keesa

Keesa Schreane is a highly in-demand author, keynote speaker, and consultant, whose expertise includes ESG, risk analysis, sustainable finance, and corporate reporting. Her work has appeared in outlets including Black Enterprise, Bloomberg, CNBC, CBS, Essence, FinTech TV, and Latina, and she serves on numerous boards and committees, including Ceres President’s Council.

About Climate Money Work

Climate Money Work is veteran podcast host and author Keesa Schreane’s new podcast, which explores complex climate, workplace, governance and social issues. Throughout each episode, Keesa will both host compelling conversations with experts and offer her own insights on how corporates, investors, and regulators might find solutions — and common ground.