Center for Impact Finance Announces Affiliation with Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
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The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy today announced the Center for Impact Finance (CIF) will join the Lincoln Institute starting June 1.
A nationally recognized applied research center founded in 2009 by Dr. Michael Swack and previously operating out of the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy, CIF’s mission is to address income and wealth inequality by promoting increased access to capital for place-based investments in underserved communities—through applied research, training, and practitioner-driven solutions.
“The core of the Lincoln Institute’s work is about how land is valued, improved, and shared. Land cannot support housing, economic activity, or community goals without investment—in infrastructure, in remediation, or in redevelopment. Access to finance tools and new partnerships is crucial to manifest land’s potential,” said George W. McCarthy, president and CEO of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. “CIF’s ‘think-do-teach’ model aligns perfectly with the Lincoln Institute’s mission to connect land policy with equitable and sustainable development, and we see this integration as a valuable opportunity to address an important gap in our work.”
Working across a wide range of topics—from affordable housing to small business finance to clean energy and climate resilience—CIF collaborates closely with practitioners, funders and investors, and policymakers to design solutions that expand access to capital. Through applied research, training, and practitioner‑driven innovations, CIF supports stakeholders across geographies and sectors nationwide. CIF brings together thought leaders and practitioners engaged in community and economic development to develop actionable policies, financing strategies, and tools, while strengthening the capacity of organizations and the community development field as a whole.
CIF offers a variety of courses in community development finance, clean energy finance, solar development, and resilience. Its courses build practical skills, financial acumen, and capacity to move projects from concept to deployment and strengthen organizational sustainability. CIF creates customized and place-based courses for lenders, developers, community‑based organizations, and others across the community development and clean energy finance ecosystems.
“The Lincoln Institute offers CIF a unique opportunity to expand our programs and amplify our impact,” said Ellen Lurie Hoffman, executive director of the Center for Impact Finance. “By joining the Lincoln Institute, CIF will address multiple dimensions of equity—financial access, place-based inequality, climate resilience, and policy innovation—in complementary ways.”