Washington, DC, July 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) announced $3,548,485,000 in New Markets Tax Credits today that will spur investment and economic growth in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide. A total of 76 Community Development Entities (CDEs) were awarded tax credit allocations, made through the calendar year (CY) 2019 round of the New Markets Tax Credit Program (NMTC Program).
“Today’s action demonstrates the Administration’s commitment to promoting economic growth and jobs in distressed communities, and to ensuring that every American can get back to work as quickly as possible,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.
”For almost 20 years, the New Markets Tax Credit has attracted private capital into businesses and communities as they recover from significant shocks to our economy,” said CDFI Fund Director Jodie Harris. “Projects that spur job creation, enable access to technology infrastructure and develop community facilities like federal qualified health centers, are examples of how New Markets Tax Credit investments are especially critical for low-income communities across the country.”
The 76 CDEs receiving awards today were selected from a pool of 206 applicants that requested an aggregate total of $14.7 billion in tax credit allocation authority. The award recipients are headquartered in 30 different states and the District of Columbia. One-fifth (20%) of the investments will be made in rural communities. It is estimated that these award recipients will make more than $706 million in New Markets Tax Credit investments in non-metropolitan counties.
Today’s announcement brings the total amount awarded through the NMTC Program to $61 billion. Historically, NMTC Program awards have generated $8 of private investment for every $1 invested by the federal government. Through the end of fiscal year 2018, the most recent data available, NMTC Program award recipients deployed nearly $52.5 billion in investments in low-income communities and businesses; with impacts such as the creation or retention of more than 836,000 jobs, and the construction or rehabilitation of more than 218.3 million square feet of commercial real estate.
2019 NMTC Program Award Resources
- Award Book: View award list and learn key facts and statistics about the Allocatees
- Review Process: Learn how the CDFI Fund evaluates Allocation Applications
About the New Markets Tax Credit Program
The New Markets Tax Credit Program, established by Congress in December 2000, permits individual and corporate taxpayers to receive a non-refundable tax credit against federal income taxes for making equity investments in financial intermediaries known as Community Development Entities (CDEs). CDEs that receive the tax credit allocation authority under the program are domestic corporations or partnerships that provide loans, investments, or financial counseling in low-income urban and rural communities. The tax credit provided to the investor totals 39% of the cost of the investment and is claimed over a seven-year period. The CDEs in turn use the capital raised to make investments in low-income communities. CDEs must apply annually to the CDFI Fund to compete for New Markets Tax Credit Program allocation authority. Since the inception of the NMTC Program, the CDFI Fund has completed 16 allocation rounds and has made 1,254 awards totaling $61 billion in tax allocation authority. This includes $3 billion in Recovery Act Awards and $1 billion of special allocation authority used for the recovery and redevelopment of the Gulf Opportunity Zone.
To learn more about the New Markets Tax Credit Program, please visit www.cdfifund.gov/nmtc.
About the CDFI Fund
Since its creation in 1994, the CDFI Fund has awarded more than $3.5 billion to CDFIs, community development organizations, and financial institutions through: the Bank Enterprise Award Program; the Capital Magnet Fund; the Community Development Financial Institutions Program, including the Healthy Food Financing Initiative; the Financial Education and Counseling Pilot Program; and the Native American CDFI Assistance Program. In addition, the CDFI Fund has allocated $61 billion in tax credit allocation authority to Community Development Entities through the New Markets Tax Credit Program, and guaranteed bonds in the amount of $1.6 billion through the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program.
To learn more about the CDFI Fund and its programs, please visit the CDFI Fund’s website at www.cdfifund.gov.