Plan Ahead: Upcoming CDFI Certification Deadline and Service Request Cutoff

Last June, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) released the General Reapplication Submission Deadlines for the CDFI Certification Application for all Certified CDFIs. The first reapplication submission window, Window 1, closes on May 31, 2025. To avoid delays or loss of Certification, organizations must act now to prepare their submissions and resolve outstanding issues.

Cut-off for Service Requests and Help Desk Questions

The CDFI Fund has been receiving a heavy volume of inquiries from CDFI Certification Applicants. In order to ensure a timely response to questions from Window 1 Applicants before the May 31 deadline, the CDFI Fund is implementing a cut-off for CDFI Certification Application-related Service Requests and Help Desk questions. The CDFI Fund will answer questions from Window 1 Applicants about the CDFI Certification Application submitted before 11:59 p.m. ET on May 16, 2025. After that time, Application questions from Window 1 Applicants received via Help Desk calls, Help Desk e-mails, and Service Requests will not be answered. 

Technical support for AMIS will still be available for Window 1 Applicants until 5:00 p.m. ET on May 31, 2025. 

Timely Submission is Critical

Organizations should proactively address all questions and prepare materials in advance to avoid delays with the Application submission process. CDFIs must strictly follow their assigned Application deadlines to maintain Certification. Failing to submit your application in your designated window during the general reapplication period will result in the loss of CDFI Certification. No grace periods or extensions will be granted for organizations that do not apply during their window, except for Applicants who submitted during the 2024 early Application submission period whose Applications were declined. 

General Reapplication Submission

Deadline for Transaction Level Reporting (TLR) Modifications

If your organization needs to modify any version of the TLR as part of your upcoming CDFI Certification Application submission during Window 1 of the General Reapplication Submission Deadline window—which closes May 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET for CDFIs with a fiscal year end (FYE) of August 31, September 30, or October 31—you must submit an AMIS Service Request  to reopen your TLR by 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 15, 2025.

Additionally, substantive questions related to the TLR or Target Market Calculator results (not related to technical system issues), should be submitted via AMIS Service Request no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 15, 2025.

The CDFI Fund anticipates a high volume of inquiries and requests leading up to the deadline. Submitting questions and requests early ensures the CDFI Fund has adequate time to respond, and that your organization has sufficient time to update data, run the Target Market Calculator, and complete the Certification Application.

Use the Most Recent Version of the Application and TLR in AMIS

If your organization started working on the CDFI Certification Application in AMIS in 2024 and/or downloaded a TLR template from AMIS in 2024, these versions do not reflect the latest updates made to improve the user experience and address technical issues. Applicants should make sure they are using the most recent versions of the CDFI Certification Application and TLR templates to minimize any submission issues in AMIS. 

Questions

Questions regarding the:

• CDFI Certification Application should be directed to the Office of Certification Policy and Evaluation (OCPE) via an AMIS Service Request (preferred), or by email to ocpecert@cdfi.treas.gov.
• Transaction Level Report should be directed to the Office of Financial Strategies and Research (FS&R), via an AMIS Service Request (preferred), or by email to CDFI-FinancialStrategiesandResearch@cdfi.treas.gov.