Celebrating the Career and Legacy of Laura Dupuy, Director of VCDC Community Lenders
Following a 40-year career dedicated to uplifting underserved populations and advancing community development, Laura Dupuy has announced her retirement effective January 2027. Throughout her career, Laura has championed the core values of opportunity and prosperity for all—, inclusion, social justice, and economic equality —through her work in affordable housing, economic development, and poverty advocacy across Virginia and West Virginia.
Laura has served as the Director of VCDC Community Lenders (formerly known as Virginia Community Development Fund – VCDF), the CDFI affiliate of VCDC, since 2015. In this role, she built an extraordinary portfolio of work that reflects both technical excellence and visionary leadership in affordable housing and economic development. Under her direction, VCDC Community Lenders secured and deployed over $70 million in New Markets Tax Credits to fuel transformative investments across underserved communities in VA and WV. She strategically directed NMTCs to fund small businesses, entrepreneurs, community health clinics, arts facilities, business incubators—and even a country music museum—recognizing that thriving communities require both stable housing and vibrant local economies.
As a Community Development Financial Institution, VCDC Community Lenders’ portfolio has grown to over $24.6 million in lending to 52 projects under Laura’s leadership, creating over 1,100 affordable housing units and approximately 1500 jobs. In the past five years alone, Laura's efforts have helped VCDC Community Lenders grow its portfolio by nearly 700% since 2015.
In collaboration with other CDFI leaders in Virginia, Laura participated in establishing the Virginia CDFI Coalition in 2021 to create a space to share industry knowledge, educate the public, offer joint advocacy and fundraising efforts, and help small CDFIs achieve certification.
Prior to her work with VCDC, Laura championed housing affordability and accessibility as the Executive Director of Lynchburg Neighborhood Development Foundation. Here she led the development of over 100 affordable multi-family units and 20 single-family homes, as well as the financing of over 500 first-time homebuyers in Central VA. Laura began her career in service to marginalized communities by working as a Virginia Legal Aid Attorney for more than 10 years, advocating for low-income people in court and throughout the state.
Laura's dedication and creative thinking have left a powerful mark on VCDC's growth and the affordable housing and community development landscape across VA and WV. Her strong problem-solving skills and passion for community development are matched by a deep compassion for those in need. She has made it her life’s mission to bring capital, knowledge, and capacity to underserved communities—building prosperity where others saw only challenges. And beyond all these accomplishments, Laura herself would say that her greatest achievement was finding and adopting her daughter, Dessi, who has had a wonderful soccer career in Europe! Join us in celebrating and thanking Laura for a remarkable career that has uplifted countless lives and will be admired for years to come.