A new report by the GIIN and the Carsey School of Public Policy provides an overview of the U.S. Community Investing field: the types of intermediary organizations raising investments, the range of available investment products and the types of investors active in the space. The principal challenge facing CDFI banks, the authors write, is the lack of liquidity of equity investments. CDFI bank stocks are generally not publicly traded and few mission-driven banks who have publicly offered stock have been able to continue as independent entities. As a result, investors must generally hold on to their equity investments for long time frames. However, CDFI banks are also innovating; for example, Southern Bancorp is exploring an equity raise in which it would use its Employee Stock Ownership Plan to provide a takeout mechanism for shareholders.