CDFI Friendly Fort Worth supports our communities
Mission
CDFI Friendly Fort Worth is an independent, not-for-profit organization that is community-centered, based on more than a year of conversations with community residents. The community-controlled Board is comprised of Fort Worth residents working across different industries and sectors, who are all invested in the economic and social development of Fort Worth. CDFI Friendly Fort Worth exists solely to match local and national certified CDFI lenders to financing needs in Fort Worth.
CDFI Friendly Fort Worth (CDFIFFW) is committed to building a sustainable pool of lenders to support common goals and initiatives that serve the Fort Worth community.
How does it work?
CDFI Friendly Fort Worth initially received $1 million dollars in capital to be further utilized with partners to increase investment and loan activity. In 2025, the target use for these funds will be credit enhancement, shared lending, and programmatic partnerships and deals. CDFIFFW will continue expanding our role in fostering support for business and consumer cohorts and borrowers resource activities.
Prospective Fort Worth borrowers can seek funding through CDFIFFW’s matching or application process.
CDFI Friendly Fort Worth Team
Glenn S. Forbes
Executive Director
Glenn Forbes is CDFI Friendly Fort Worth’s first Executive Director. During a career balancing finance and community development in Fort Worth, Glenn has proved he can work in both under-financed communities and the world of banking and lending.
Forbes has over 32 years of comprehensive Commercial Banking experience inclusive of Government Finance, Public Board Governance, Branch Management, Community Development, and Public Speaking. He served as the initial CEO for two Private/Public Economic Development agencies inclusive of capital investment and organizational leadership. Forbes was recognized as a 2018 JP Morgan Leading Edge Banker and Fort Worth Minority Business Leadership awardee. He also has extensive not-for-profit Board leadership and Committee Governance for local and statewide agencies, inclusive of roles as Chairman and Executive Committee Member.
Board of Directors
Willie Rankin
Interim Board Chair
Willie Rankin is the Director of the Institute to Advance Child Care at Child Care Associates. Willie Rankin has over ten years of experience in nonprofit management and has worked on several projects to impact vulnerable populations positively. Willie is a Marine Corps Veteran with an Executive MBA from the University of Texas in Arlington. He describes his occupation as a "community servant" and enjoys collaborating with community leaders to impact change.
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Javier Balderrama
Board Secretary
Francisco Javier Balderrama was born and raised in Tarrant County, Texas. After graduating from law school, Javier spent a year at one of the largest criminal defense firms in the State of Texas. There he handled various types of criminal cases in Tarrant, Dallas, Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Collin Counties. He also managed thousands of clients including those arrested for DWI, Assaults, Thefts, and many other crimes. Currently, Balderrama is an attorney at Alband, Lane, & Balderrama. Mr. Balderrama is a member of Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCCDLA), Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA), Mexican American Bar Association (MABA), and was included in Fort Worth Magazine’s list of Top Attorneys (2021).
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Cristal Hernandez-Galvan
Board Treasurer
Cristal is the founder and president of Hernandez Grants & Consulting, LLC., a woman and minority-owned comprehensive service firm. She has a diverse background in working with Federal, State and Private Foundations, identifying funding sources, guiding proposals and securing the resources needed to further organizational strategic goals. Cristal is currently an Ambassador for the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Co-Chair of their Advocacy Committee, as well as a member of the Hispanic Women’s Network (HWNT) where she serves as the State Representative.
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Joe Cordova
Board Member
Joe Cordova has been a Financial Advisor at Edward Jones since 2016. He holds a Series 7 License and Series 66 License and is also an Accredited Asset Management Specialist or AAMS® this is a professional designation from the College of Financial Planning. Mr. Cordova’s background and professional work experience gives him a unique prospective when helping individuals and business owners plan for and reach their financial goals.Prior to joining Edward Jones, he spent over 17 years working for the City of Fort Worth in various supervisory and management roles, managing federal grant programs.
Connect on LinkedIn →Michelle Green-Ford
Board Member
Michelle Green-Ford is the president and CEO of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, the first woman in the role. In the 90’s, she started working at American Airlines doing international training, leadership development, and management training. This experience led her to start her own training firm, which sought out contracts with city and state government, and other sectors. Through this company, Ms. Green-Ford became affiliated with the Chamber and the City’s Economic Development Department, that helped her business grow. She eventually became the VP of Diversity and Inclusion at JPS Health Network and partnered with the Chamber to conduct business workshops for members. In her new role of President and CEO for the Black Chamber, Green-Ford wants to continue helping small businesses and encouraging economic development.
Connect on LinkedIn →Grace McDermott
Board Member
Grace McDermott is President of the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Southwest Region. She has been an active advocate and role model for mentoring women and Asian Americans in assuming greater leadership roles in the business community. She helps Asian businesses achieve their goals through a variety of educational, advocacy, and training programs. Her accomplishments include the signature Annual Asian Business EXPO and the widely acclaimed Women’s Business Symposium.
Andy Williams
Chair Emeritus
Mr. Williams is a U.S. Marine, real estate developer, and award winning social entrepreneur. Host of former HGTV show “Flip or Flop: Fort Worth” and Author of the book “Business is a Battleground”, Mr. Williams continues to leverage the skills from his career in anti-terrorism with the Marines, paramilitary operations with Blackwater, and entrepreneurial ventures within Blackstone Tactical Opportunities fund to create change within his veteran community. Williams is the founder of the vertically integrated real estate investment firm, Rehab Warriors, executing full scale community revitalization with a focus on social impact. Further defined as a social venture structured to empower transitioning veterans to become home rehabbers, home builders, and affordable housing developers.
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Jazmin Gutierrez
Board Vice-Chairperson Emeritus
Jazmin Gutierrez is a young professional who is passionate about serving her community. Jazmin has five plus years of experience in non-profit, business/economic development, program management, event management and fundraising. Jazmin received her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas with an emphasis in Business Administration, Public Administration, and Communication Studies. Jazmin is currently pursuing her Master's in Public Administration from Tarleton State University. Jazmin was recently named Vice Chair of the City of Fort Worth's Library Advisory Board and Vice Chair of CDFI Friendly Fort Worth Board.
Connect on LinkedIn →CDFI Friendly Fort Worth History
CDFI Friendly Fort Worth began when the City’s Chief Equity Officer, Christina Brooks, arrived from South Bend, Indiana, in 2020. From late 2018 through 2019, Christina worked with CDFI Friendly America to launch CDFI Friendly South Bend, which is increasing access to CDFI financing primarily for BIPOC entrepreneurs.
Brooks worked with Robert Sturns, Fort Worth’s Director of Economic Development, to propose to the City Council that Fort Worth explore a CDFI Friendly strategy. The City and City Council embraced the strategy. Mayor Mattie Parker endorsed the idea of using one-time funding to create a long-term, independent way of bringing access to capital to historically underfinanced, underestimated, and often under-valued communities and people.
The City provided $3 million to CDFI Friendly America launch CDFI Friendly Fort Worth. The CDFI Friendly Fort Worth organizing effort began with a well-attended public event in late-January 2022. By June, the founding Board of Directors was named, and lending was well underway.
In December 2022, the Board hired Glenn S. Forbes to serve as acting Executive Director of CDFI Friendly Fort Worth, beginning in January 2023, to lead and oversee all aspects of the set-up and operations of the organization. CDFI Friendly Fort Worth received operational funding and the Capital Enhancement Fund and began officially operating in May 2023. Executive Director Glenn S. Forbes hired additional staff in July 2023.
