Not only does empowering women lead to greater economic growth, women have much higher repayment rates on microloans, meaning that microfinance institutions are more sustainable when dominated by women members.
As many international micro finance institutions have demonstrated (although not yet proven nationally), lending to poor people can be a sustainable strategy as these nontraditional institutions get repaid and repay investors. (Note: Microfinance institutions are a subset of CDFIs in the United States).