The Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is a national coalition of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) dedicated to supporting the socioeconomic growth of low-income communities. The nonprofit asserts that there is a “climate gap” that disproportionately impacts people of color and low-income communities. ^{1 2}

Background

Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) was established in 1986 with the primary goal of driving capital into low-income and disadvantaged communities across the United States. OFN is a national network of over 400 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). ²

Leadership

Harold Pettigrew works as the president and CEO of Opportunity Finance Network. In 2021, then-President Joe Biden appointed Harold to serve on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s community development advisory board to advise the CDFI Fund. ^{3 4}

Amber Kuchar-Bell is the executive vice president and chief program officer for strategy with OFN. She previously worked as the chief strategy and operations officer for the organization. Before joining OFN, Amber served as a CDFI Manager at the U.S. Department of the Treasury for six years. ^{5 6}

Seth Julyan holds the position of executive vice president and chief program officer for network services with OFN. Since joining OFN in 2011, Seth has served in several roles, including vice president, senior vice president, and executive vice president. ^{7 8}

Brendon Miller is the executive vice president and Chief of Staff as well as head of communications for OFN. He has served in these roles since joining the organization in 2024. ^{9  10}

Projects

Opportunity Finance Network empowers low-income individuals to build wealth through homeownership by partnering with CDFIs to offer flexible mortgages, guidance, and house repairs. ¹¹ After the historic floods of 2022 that devastated communities in Eastern Kentucky Mountain Association, one of OFN’S partners, supported flood victims by financing new homes built out of the flood zone. ¹²

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the nonprofit helped low-income communities through relief efforts like payment deferrals, emergency loans, and loan modifications. ¹³

OFN’s initiatives also includes financing for climate change mitigation. The nonprofit asserts that there is a “climate gap” that disproportionately impacts people of color and low-income communities. ¹

Additional initiatives include creating employment opportunities within Native American communities, ¹⁴ supporting sustainable food production, ¹⁵ promoting rural development, ¹⁶ and advancing racial equity. ¹⁷

Sponsors and Partners

OFN partners with governmental agencies, as well as private companies and philanthropic organizations such as the MacArthur Foundation, ¹⁸ Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Google, ¹⁹ and JPMorgan Chase. ¹⁸

In 2021, the nonprofit secured a $25 million contribution from Wells Fargo, ²⁰ followed by a $10 million investment from Charles Schwab Bank in 2024 to advance OFN’s mission of tackling the racial wealth gap and poverty in low-income communities. ²¹

During the pandemic, the federal government worked with CDFIs to extend financial aid to communities hardest hit by the crisis. From the $900 billion FY2021 Omnibus Appropriations and COVID-19 Relief Bill signed by then-President Donald Trump, $12 billion was designated for CDFIs and minority depository institutions. ²²

In 2024, the nonprofit was selected to receive a $2.29 billion award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ²³ In August, 2024, the OFN announced it had accepted a $2.3 billion grant from the EPA through the department’s $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) (as approved by the Inflation Reduction Act) and was also a part of the department’s Clean Community Investment Accelerator (CCIA) program. According to the announcement, the grant was for the purpose of “addressing the climate crisis by increasing access to capital in underserved communities across the country.” ²⁴ Further reporting shows that the grant’s start date was April 1, 2024, to be paid over a six-year period of time, and that such grants released by the department were part of near $21.8 billion in grants being released in 2024 to be directed towards “low-income and disadvantaged communities” (LIDC). ^{25 26}

Financials

According to its 2023 990 form, the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) reported a revenue of $24,971,319, expenses of $31,233,261, and total assets of $313,600,163. ²⁷

According to its 2022 990 form, the OFN reported a revenue of $76,048,439, expenses of $36,517,605, and total assets of $294,224,646. ²⁸

According to its 2021 990 form, the OFN reported a revenue of $52,021,160, expenses of $22,092,402, and total assets of $225,364,675. ²⁹

1. “Climate Change & Resilience.” OFN, January 11, 2024. https://www.ofn.org/key-priorities/climate-change-and-resilience/.
2. “News Archive.” OFN. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.ofn.org/news/.
3. “Harold Pettigrew.” Opportunity Finance Network, Accessed April 25, 2025. https://www.ofn.org/cpt_teammembers/harold-pettigrew-jr/
4. “Harold Pettigrew, Jr. – Opportunity Finance Network .” Linkedin. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/haroldpettigrew/.
5. “Amber Kuchar-Bell.” Opportunity Finance Network, Accessed April 25, 2025. https://www.ofn.org/cpt_teammembers/amber-kuchar-bell/
6. “Amber Kuchar-Bell – Chief Strategy and Operations Officer.” Linkedin. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-kuchar-bell-63a88611.
7. “Seth Julyan.” Opportunity Finance Network, Accessed April 25, 2025. https://www.ofn.org/cpt_teammembers/seth-julyan/
8. “Seth Julyan .” linkedin, April 12, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/seth-julyan-073a618_2023ofnconf-capitalmeetspurpose-cdfi-activity-7051991688126365696-38hX.
9. “Brendon Miller.” Opportunity Finance Network, Accessed April 25, 2025. https://www.ofn.org/cpt_teammembers/brendon-miller/
10. “Brendon Miller – Opportunity Finance Network .” linkedin. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendon-miller-79168628/.
11. “Affordable Housing.” OFN, February 1, 2024. https://www.ofn.org/key-priorities/affordable-housing/.
12. “Kentucky Cdfis Partner to Fund Home Repairs after Devastating 2022 Floods .” OFN, October 13, 2023. https://www.ofn.org/impact-stories/kentucky-cdfis-fund-home-repairs-2022-floods/.
13. “Financial First Response.” OFN, January 11, 2024. https://www.ofn.org/key-priorities/financial-first-response/.
14. “Native Finance.” OFN, February 28, 2022. https://www.ofn.org/key-priorities/native-finance/.
15. “Woman-Owned Farm Fosters Healthy Communities in Philadelphia with CDFI Support.” OFN, March 31, 2024. https://www.ofn.org/impact-stories/woman-owned-farm-fosters-healthy-communities-philadelphia-with-cdfi-support/.
16. “Rural Development.” OFN, May 24, 2023. https://www.ofn.org/key-priorities/rural-development/.
17. “Economic Justice Partnership Fund.” OFN, February 1, 2024. https://www.ofn.org/current-initiatives/economic-justice-partnership-fund/.
18. “Finance Justice Fund.” OFN, April 18, 2024. https://www.ofn.org/current-initiatives/finance-justice-fund/.
19. “Grow with Google Small Business Fund.” OFN, August 23, 2022. https://www.ofn.org/current-initiatives/grow-with-google-small-business-fund/.
20. Network, Opportunity Finance. “Opportunity Finance Network Announces $10 Million Investment from Charles Schwab Bank to Advance Finance Justice Fund.” PR Newswire: press release distribution, targeting, monitoring and marketing, February 26, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/opportunity-finance-network-announces-10-million-investment-from-charles-schwab-bank-to-advance-finance-justice-fund-302070590.html.
21. Wells Fargo Newsroom – Opportunity Finance Network receives largest grant in 35-year history from Wells Fargo. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://newsroom.wf.com/English/news-releases/news-release-details/2021/Opportunity-Finance-Network-Receives-Largest-Grant-in-35-Year-History-from-Wells-Fargo/default.aspx.
22. Valvardi, Caroline. “Historic Funding for CDFIs in FY2021 Omnibus Appropriations and Covid-19 Relief Bill.” OFN, March 16, 2022. https://www.ofn.org/blog/historic-funding-cdfis-fy2021-omnibus-appropriations-and-covid-19-relief-bill/.
23. “Opportunity Finance Network Selected to Receive Historic $2.29 Billion Grant for Clean Energy Community Investments .” OFN, April 4, 2024. https://www.ofn.org/news/ofn-selected-two-billion-grant-clean-energy-community-investments/.
24. “Opportunity Finance Network Finalizes $2.29 Billion Award to Finance a Clean and Just Energy Transition.” Opportunity Finance Network, August 19, 2024. https://www.ofn.org/news/opportunity-finance-network-finalizes-2-29-billion-award-to-finance-a-clean-and-just-energy-transition/
25. Braun, Ken. “Low-Quality Energy for the LIDACs and $21.8 Billion in Waste from the EPA.” Capital Research Center, January 16, 2025. https://capitalresearch.org/article/low-quality-energy-for-the-lidacs-and-21-8-billion-in-waste-from-the-epa/
26. “Grant to Opportunity Finance Network.” USA Spending, Accessed April 25, 2025. https://www.usaspending.gov/award/ASST_NON_84093901_6800/
27. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Opportunity Finance Network. 2023. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205189202/202422889349301667/full
28. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Opportunity Finance Network. 2022. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205189202/202342839349300324/full
29. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Opportunity Finance Network. 2021. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205189202/202242169349300904/full