Member Spotlight: James Caudill
James Caudill - CDFI Director, Redbud Financial Alternatives, Inc.
Brief Bio: James Caudill is the CDFI Director of Redbud Financial Alternatives, Inc., one of only four CDFIs in all of Eastern Kentucky. He has years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has served the community in leadership positions at SYKES, Neighborhood Hospitality, and most recently, as a Project Manager for Fahe. James has a deep commitment to relationship building and community development, serving as President of the Hazard Rotary Club, a board member for HOMES, Inc., and the Perry County Community Foundation. James is a graduate of the Leadership Kentucky Class of 2021 and makes his home in Perry County with his wife, Teresa, and their two children.
How long have you been part of AFN? I became involved with AFN when I came on staff at Redbud on May 31, 2022. Redbud has been a member of AFN for the last two years.
What is the mission of your organization, and why is this pursuit important to you? Our mission is to help our clients turn credit from an obstacle to an opportunity by providing equitable mortgage and consumer financial products that help clients achieve housing and overall financial stability.
What is a project you are working/have recently worked on that you’re passionate about? A recent project utilized dollars, received from a funder to assist flooding survivors from the July flooding event, to pay a portion of their payments while they are looking to recover.
What was the impact of this project? We were able to help 10 of our current clients with a savings of $12,000 over a three-month timeframe.
How did you demonstrate that impact? This is demonstrated to our funder by tracking the number of deferments, dollars saved, and continued conversation with the clients to see what additional needs they may have moving forward.
What do you see as the greatest strength of Central Appalachian communities? The sense of family in the community and stepping up to help our neighbors and friends in times of prosperity or trial.
What is one thing you’d like to see improved in how funders work together in Central Appalachia? Discussions around organizations that are doing the boots-on-the-ground work and looking to further their missions.
What do you see as the primary hurdle in the pursuit of equitable Appalachian transition? Capital. Capital is needed to train, change behaviors, and give the people of Appalachia a boost to move them forward.
How would you approach this challenge? Redbud is addressing this challenge by working with funders across Appalachia and beyond to bring capital to the table to assist in our work.
What questions do you think funders in Appalachia should be asking regularly about improving their grantmaking processes?
How simple is the process for the recipients?
Do peer funders in Appalachia know the organizations that are completing work in their regions and making the greatest impact with the funding provided?
Are they talking about it with the other funders that they work with to consider a capital stack that will make viable projects more successful?
What is the one experience from your past, personal or professional, that most influences the work you do today? This one is personal. In 2018 when my Dad was diagnosed with cancer and given only 6 months to live, I couldn’t do anything to help him. My mission in life moving forward from that was to do meaningful work that benefited the mountain family and community that I grew up in. To make access to services of any kind easier and more equitable.