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CPAF Virtual Information Session

Mayor Bowser’s Commercial Property Acquisition Fund

The District will put up to $500,000 toward your client’s down payment on a DC building.

Virtual information session · held Wednesday, August 26, 2026

This session has ended.

The slides are below. We’ll add the recording here once it’s ready.

Session slides

Slide 1: Commercial Property Acquisition Fund (CPAF), presented by City First Enterprises, August 26, 2026.
Slide 2: Who we are and what we do. City First Enterprises is a certified community development financial institution (CDFI), with its mission, vision and lending focus.
Slide 3: CPAF program details. Purpose, award amount up to $500,000 subject to availability, and the application period.
Slide 4: Eligibility. The four areas assessed: business compliance, business owners (Equity Impact Enterprise), lender and property, and the commercial property project.
Slide 5: Business applicant requirements, including the Equity Impact Enterprise ownership test and DC-resident ownership.
Slide 6: Eligible business applicant requirements, including property ownership structure, the down payment contribution, and the seven-year own-and-operate commitment.
Slide 7: Commercial property requirements, including District location, purchase contract or letter of intent, zoning and property type, and where to check DC property records.
Slide 8: Required documents to complete the application, including Clean Hands certificate, DC business license, certificate of occupancy, purchase contract or letter of intent, and lender term sheet or pre-approval.
Slide 9: Important information to gather about the property, its intended use, changes to approved use, and financing.
Slide 10: Thank you. Contact cpaf@cfenterprises.org for program questions, or the City First lending team for loan inquiries.
Slide 1 of 10

Download the slides (PDF)

The fund itself is still open. City First Enterprises administers it and takes the applications — cpaf@cfenterprises.org.

Program details and eligibilityStart an applicationRead the FAQs

What the fund does

Up to $500,000 — or 25% of the sale price, whichever is less, as down payment assistance.

A grant — not a loan and not a reimbursement.

Own and occupy — the business has to hold and operate in the space for at least seven years.

DC businesses — existing District businesses buying commercial property in the District.

Washington DC Economic Partnership
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