Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP)

Issued by Grow America

Holders of the EDFP Certification have demonstrated their ability to apply complex business credit analysis and real estate finance skills to economic development deal structuring. They have demonstrated their ability to apply a process for solving problems in order to overcome various obstacles—economic, financial, political, social—to the successful structuring of business finance and real estate projects that involve complex financial issues such as workouts, business buyouts and tax credits.

Type Certification
Level Advanced
Time Years
Cost Paid

Additional Details

Skills

Business Credit Reports
Corporate Finance
Deal Structuring
Economic Development
Economic Development Finance Professional
Economic Development Tools
Finance
Government Incentives
Problem Solving
Small Business Development
Tax Credits

Earning Criteria

Complete ED101- Economic Development Finance Participants in ED101 explore economic development activities as part of a community’s overall economic development finance strategy and investigate the financing resources available for job creation projects. Participants use both the basic tools and newest techniques to analyze and structure economic development projects for small and medium-sized businesses as well as commercial real estate developments utilizing incentive financing packages.
Complete ED201 - Business Credit Analysis In ED201 participants build on ED101 skills, focusing on advanced techniques for assessing operating small businesses’ creditworthiness. The credit analysis and underwriting procedures of commercial lenders are tailored to the unique concerns of economic development lenders. Participants spread and analyze the financial statements of actual companies and use economic development finance programs to structure financing packages.
Complete ED202 - Real Estate Finance ED202 focuses on real estate development, examining the process from lender, developer, and investor perspectives. Participants analyze projects like retail and office spaces, determining required rates of return and public sector financing to ensure feasibility. They utilize tax credits and other tools to attract private financing and minimize public investment.
Complete ED300 -The Art of Deal Structuring and The Art of Problem Resolution ED300 integrates the business credit and real estate finance skills learned in previous courses with the creative demands of deal structuring. Participants apply a process for solving problems to overcome the obstacles to the successful structuring of business finance and real estate projects. The emphasis of this course is casework that involves complex financial issues such as workouts, buyouts and tax credits.