The Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course is the foundation for all of CDFA’s educational offerings. This course will help attendees understand the variety of development finance tools available including bonds, tax credits, tax increment financing (TIF), RLFs, and access to capital lending resources.

The Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course is based on CDFA's Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance, the only comprehensive reference guide dedicated to building and utilizing the development finance toolbox. The Practitioner’s Guide to Economic Development Finance provides the insight and practical information needed to critically understand how economic development is financed and the tools, strategies, and techniques used to build strong communities.

This course is taking place as part of CDFA's 2024 National Development Finance Summit. Learn more about the National Summit here.

This course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute's Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Join us in Baltimore, and start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.

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Course Advisor

Toby Rittner Council of Development Finance Agencies President & CEO Toby Rittner is the President & CEO of Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), a national association dedicated to the advancement of development finance concerns and interests. CDFA is comprised of the nation’s leading and most... knowledgeable members of the development finance community representing hundreds of public, private and non-profit development finance agencies. Mr. Rittner runs the day-to-day operations of the Council including the organization’s various educational, advocacy, research, resources, and networking initiatives. He also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the CDFA Foundation. Rittner is one of the most vocal and recognized leaders of the development finance industry nationwide and has advised local, state, and federal leaders, including Presidents Biden and Obama, on economic development finance policy. Through his leadership and guidance, CDFA was successful in preserving private activity bonds and other critical development finance tools during the 2017 tax reform deliberations and has had numerous pieces of legislation introduced in the United States Congress. In 2021, Rittner successfully led a national effort to reauthorize and fund the $10B State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. He has written and crafted dozens of strategic finance plans for development finance agencies and advised communities through the world on development finance approaches. Rittner focuses on sustainable finance with an emphasis on infrastructure, clean energy, food systems, small business, and innovations in the development finance industry to drive sustainable outcomes. He has written extensively about impact ready initiatives that leverage and engage capital in ways that drive local sustainability in business and industry and the environment and economy. Rittner is a frequent speaker at local, state, and national conferences and events focused on economic development finance. He has been featured in The Bond Buyer, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR and other national media publications concerning the advancement of development finance tools. He is the author of CDFA's highly acclaimed Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance and co-author of CDFA's Unlocking Capital: A Handbook for Becoming a High Performing Development Finance Agency. Rittner is an adjunct faculty member at The Ohio State University and Carnegie Mellon University. He is also a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) and has completed the prestigious Oxford University Sustainable Finance Foundation Course. Mr. Rittner previously served on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Financial Advisory Board and is a member of the Advisory Board for the National Community Fund I. Mr. Rittner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master's of City and Regional Planning degree from The Ohio State University. Mr. Rittner was awarded the Ohio State University College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2016. (More)

Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course Agenda

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Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Wed 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM	Breakfast & Registration
Wed 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM	Welcome & Overview Welcome participants, introduce CDFA, and set the stage for the course. Speaker(s) Toby Rittner, President & CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Wed 9:15 AM - 10:00 AM	Understanding Development Finance & the Toolbox Approach This session will set the stage for attendees to build their core knowledge of the roots and basic principles of development finance. Attendees will learn about the fundamental concepts of building a comprehensive financing strategy. Speaker(s) Toby Rittner, President & CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Wed 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM	Break
Wed 10:15 AM - 11:45 AM	Bedrock Tools Bonds are the bedrock of development finance and are the cornerstone of most development finance projects. This session will address the basics of bond finance including the various types of bonds, what bonds can finance, how bonds are issued, and important legal elements to be considered. Speaker(s) Toby Rittner, President & CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies Rodney Wendt, Executive Director, Washington Economic Development Finance Authority John Wooten, Head of Municipal Placements, Wells Fargo Securities
Wed 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM	Lunch Session: Targeted Tools Targeted financing programs are the most popular form of development finance. Attendees will learn the basics of several financing tools including tax increment financing, special improvement districts/business improvement districts, special assessment districts, and tax abatements as well as how they can be used to meet economic development goals and objectives. Speaker(s) Price Finley, Partner, Bricker Graydon Toby Rittner, President & CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Wed 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM	Investment Tools In this session, attendees will learn about the investment tools available for catalyzing job growth, real estate development, community revitalization, and entrepreneurial development. Presentations will cover several highly successful federal tax credit programs and how to effectively apply these programs to development opportunities. Speaker(s) Richard Davies, Partner, CohnReznick LLP Toby Rittner, President & CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Wed 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM	Break
Wed 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM	Access to Capital Tools Important components in any development finance toolbox are tools that address access to capital concerns such as revolving loan funds, mezzanine finance, credit enhancement models, linked deposit programs, and loan guarantee programs. Speakers will discuss the use of innovation finance mechanisms such as seed, venture, and angel funds for encouraging local growth. Speaker(s) Holly Hunt, State Small Business Credit Initiative Program Manager, Georgia Department of Community Affairs Toby Rittner, President & CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Wed 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM	Federal Support Tools This session will demonstrate the power of federal support tools and present the multitude of programs that exist within the various federal agencies. Attendees will learn about these programs and how to effectively apply them to development opportunities. Speaker(s) Toby Rittner, President & CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies
Wed 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM	Implementing the Development Finance Toolbox Development finance agencies throughout the country are implementing the toolbox approach. This final session of the course will focus on case study examples of successful agencies utilizing the toolbox model and strategies for putting the toolbox in place at your agency.  Speaker(s) Toby Rittner, President & CEO, Council of Development Finance Agencies Lori Sallaz, Manager, Bond Finance Programs, Development Finance Authority of Summit County
Wed 4:00 PM	Adjourn

The Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course will be held at Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. The course will meet from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Eastern.