Treasury Announces $3.5 Billion in New Markets Tax Credit Awards to Revitalize Low-Income and Distressed Communities

Washington, DC – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) today announced $3.5 billion in New Markets Tax Credit awards aimed at revitalizing low-income communities and increasing economic opportunity nationwide. A total of 87 organizations (Allocatees) across the country will receive tax credit allocation authority under the calendar year 2013 round of the New Markets Tax Credit Program.

“The New Markets Tax Credit Program creates jobs and critical investments in low-income neighborhoods and rural communities across the nation,” said Amias Gerety, Acting Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions. “Often the New Markets Tax Credit is the most critical piece of the puzzle when trying to finance important economic development projects across the country. Its ability to attract private-sector capital into some of the most economically distressed and underserved communities is a hallmark of this important economic development program.”

The New Markets Tax Credit Program, established by Congress in December 2000, permits individual and corporate taxpayers to receive a credit against federal income taxes for making equity investments in vehicles known as Community Development Entities. The credit provided to the investor totals 39 percent of the cost of the investment and is claimed over a seven-year period. The Community Development Entities in turn use the capital raised to make investments in low-income communities.

“Over $31.1 billion of New Markets Tax Credit transactions have been reported from the program’s inception through the end of fiscal year 2012, and over 74 percent of these were made in severely distressed communities, surpassing even the program’s requirements,” said Dennis Nolan, Acting Director of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. “The New Markets Tax Credit Program is clearly targeting economic development in communities that critically need financing to help create new businesses, affordable housing and jobs.”

Community Development Entities must apply annually to the CDFI Fund to compete for New Markets Tax Credit Program allocation authority. The 87 organizations receiving awards were selected from a pool of 310 applicants that requested over $25.9 billion in allocation authority. They are headquartered in 32 different states and the District of Columbia, and they have identified principal service areas that will cover nearly every state in the country and the District of Columbia.

2013 New Markets Tax Credit Program Award Resources

• Award Book: View award list and learn key facts and statistics about the Allocatees
• Searchable Award Database: View the profiles of individual Allocatees
• States Served Map: Explore the potential service areas of recent Allocatees

About the New Markets Tax Credit Program

The New Markets Tax Credit Program was established by Congress in December 2000 to help economically distressed communities attract private investment capital by providing investors with a Federal tax credit. Investments made through the New Markets Tax Credit Program are used to finance businesses and real estate projects to breathe new life into neglected, underserved low-income communities. Since inception, New Markets Tax Credit Program investments have created an estimated 561,873 new jobs and supported the construction of 22.0 million feet of manufacturing space, 71.8 million square feet of office space, and 55.2 million square feet of retail space. As these communities develop, they become more attractive to investors, creating a ripple effect that spurs more investment.

For more information about the New Markets Tax Credit Program, please view the Fact Sheet or visit the CDFI Fund’s website at www.cdfifund.gov/nmtc.

About the CDFI Fund

Since its creation in 1994, the CDFI Fund has awarded over $1.9 billion to CDFIs, community development organizations, and financial institutions through the CDFI Program, the Bank Enterprise Award Program, the Capital Magnet Fund, the Financial Education and Counseling Pilot Program, and the Native American CDFI Assistance Program. In addition, the CDFI Fund has allocated $40 billion in tax credit authority to Community Development Entities through the New Markets Tax Credit Program, and has approved the term sheets and the execution of agreements to guarantee $325 million in bonds through the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. Learn more about the CDFI Fund and its programs at www.cdfifund.gov.

Source: CDI Fund