Community development financial institutions are feeling left out in the cold when it comes to joining the Federal Home Loan Bank system due to stricter collateral requirements. These nondepository CDFIs, which provide credit and financial services to underserved communities, represented less than six percent of FHLB members as of the end of the year, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. This translates to 30 members out of the 522 CDFIs nationwide.Treasury-certified non depository CDFIs were permitted to become members in 2008, allowing CDFIs to use their current loan portfolio to raise cash and originate new loans. The GAO performed an analysis of CDFI membership rates after being asked to review the FHLBanks’ implementation of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act provisions.