CFSI, a national nonprofit organization, provides leadership and new ideas on public policies that encourage and enhance underserved consumers’ access to financial services. To that end, CFSI seeks to advance federal financial services policy to spur product innovation and market competition, to address impediments to high-quality financial services access, and to bring greater attention to low and moderate income consumers’ financial services needs.

CFSI works with financial service providers, consumer advocates, academics, and policymakers to transform the financial services marketplace to help underserved consumers achieve financial prosperity. CFSI conducts consumer and industry research to develop a complete understanding of underserved consumers and the products offered to them. CFSI makes investments in nonprofits and for-profits serving low- and moderate-income consumers with financial products and services that are beneficial to consumers and sustainable for providers.

CFSI’s policy agenda focuses on several key areas:

• Engagement with federal regulators and legislators to expand the availability of safe and affordable financial products and services for low- and moderate-income individuals and families

• Identification and promotion of federal policies to address impediments that affect underserved consumers’ access to high-quality financial services and products

• Bringing policymakers’ attention to new financial capability strategies and financial products that deliver personalized, relevant, timely, and actionable information to consumers about their finances and financial decisions

• Outreach to policymakers about the financial lives and needs of low- and moderate-income consumers

The primary activities CFSI engages in to achieve its goals around public policy include:

• Developing financial services principles that enhance and expand low- and moderate-income consumers’ access to financial products and services, in both the bank and nonbank sectors

• Bringing policymakers’ and the media’s attention to critical issues related to low- and moderate-income consumers’ access needs and preferences for financial services

• Engaging key stakeholders, including policymakers, industry representatives, advocates, and nonprofits to inform CFSI’s work

• Researching and disseminating policy briefs, research papers, and other educational materials