The National Disability Finance Coalition (NDFC) has released Opening Financial Doors: Disability Finance in the U.S., a groundbreaking new report that explores how Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) can better serve people with disabilities (PWD)—a growing and deeply underserved population across the United States.
With slightly more than 1 in 4 U.S. adults identifying as disabled, and with poverty and financial exclusion disproportionately affecting this group, the need for targeted financial products has never been more urgent. Yet until now, there has been little research to guide lenders, funders, investors, and advocates in addressing the unique barriers faced by PWD.
Commissioned by NDFC in 2024, the report is the first of its kind to map the disability finance (DF) ecosystem, from unmet borrower needs to the practical steps CDFIs can take to expand access and impact. It draws from a national survey, stakeholder interviews, and data analysis to identify four critical sectors in need of investment: assistive technology, affordable, accessible housing, small business, and community facilities.
Key Findings for CDFIs
- The need is great: The financial needs of PWD are deeply intersectional and their needs cut across every CDFI type, geography, and financial products and services on offer.
- Capacity-building is badly needed: Most CDFIs want to engage in disability finance but lack guidance, capital, or partnerships with disability-serving organizations (DSOs) to get started.
- Demand for Assistive Technology (AT) loans is high: Loans for AT—for everything from hearing aids to home modifications to adapted vehicles—are in demand, but rarely available through traditional lenders.
- Affordable, accessible housing is low: A persistent shortage of accessible, affordable housing disproportionately affects people with disabilities.
- PWD are more likely to be self-employed: Entrepreneurs with disabilities are more likely to pursue self-employment than non-disabled people but face heightened barriers to startup capital and technical assistance.
The report doesn’t just spotlight gaps, it offers practical, actionable strategies for CDFIs, funders, DSOs, and policymakers to collaborate in building a more inclusive financial system.
“Disability Finance doesn’t need to remain a niche. The need for it is central to the mission of community-centered lending,” said Emerson Sekins, NDFC’s Board Chair and CEO at Northwest Access Fund. “With the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act being celebrated this summer, now is the time to recognize the systemic barriers to capital access this population faces and the need to design solutions that address them. We hope this report helps CDFIs recognize the opportunity they have to lead in this space.”
Ready to Learn More?
Download the report or visit our membership page to access trainings and connect with peer organizations already leading in this space. Or email us at info@disabilityfinance.org.
Let’s move from possibility to practice. Together, we can open more financial doors.