The FY 2011 application round will use a new priority point system for scoring applications. During this round, up to five priority points will be awarded to applicants who commit to serve communities facing the highest levels of distress. The number of priority points awarded will be based on an objective scoring of distress measures.

The CDFI Fund uses a Distress Indicator Index to measure levels of distress and to establish an Applicant’s priority points. The measures are: poverty rates, median household income, unemployment rates, home foreclosures, and high-cost mortgages. Due to data constraints, these Target Markets are aggregated at the county level.

The priority points score and distress indicators can be found in the MS Excel file labeled “County-Level Distress and Priority Points.” Counties are arranged by order of FIPS code. A map is provided to highlight the distribution of priority points.

Claiming Priority Points

In order to qualify for priority points, you must:

1. Identify up to five counties where your organization will deploy the Financial Products and Financial Services that will be supported through this award. (These counties do not have to be contiguous).
2. Find the corresponding priority points in the Distress Indicator Index for these counties.
3. Enter the county and priority point information in your Application. If you select more than one county, provide an average of the priority points. (For example, if you select two counties, one with a value of four priority points and a second with a value of zero, then indicate two overall priority points in your Application. Round decimals from .5 or higher up; round decimals lower than .5 down).

By claiming these priority points, you are committing to deploy your award to serve the counties you have identified.