I facilitated CAMEO’s Microlending Forum in San Francisco where we digested the results of the Excellence in Lending assessment project I’ve been heading up for the past year.

I designed a survey tool that CAMEO Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) members used to assess their programs. The goal of the project was to have CDFIs review their internal operations, compare their answers to their peers, and discuss opportunities for improvement.

The tool dug into details like underwriting policy, risk assessment, portfolio management, cost per loan made, conversion rates, servicing strategies, default rates, technology adoption and much more.

The CDFIs at the meeting found the in-depth look at their policy, process and operations very helpful and asked for quarterly peer conference calls to further pursue the challenges revealed.

Ginger McNally, from Opportunity Finance Network, provided the national CDFI perspective on standards and practices of community lenders throughout the U.S.