COVID-19 catapulted community development lending into a new level of prominence and importance in American finance. Jeannine Jacokes, CDBA CEO noted that in the very beginning the industry didn't have experience in terms of public policy advocacy. "Fast forward 30 years, and we have a caucus — that is a mind-blowing thing, because way back when, CDFIs were very much grassroots organizations. Many didn't get a lot of government funding from any source whatsoever," said Jacokes.