WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 27, 2026

The Crowdfunding Professional Association (CfPA) announced that its public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Labor is now available on Regulations.gov, responding to the Department’s proposed rule, “Fiduciary Duties in Selecting Designated Investment Alternatives” (RIN 1210-AC38).

The proposed rule would clarify how ERISA’s duty of prudence applies when plan fiduciaries select designated investment alternatives for participant-directed retirement plans, including asset allocation funds that may include alternative assets.

CfPA commended the Department for advancing a process-based, asset-neutral framework that preserves fiduciary discretion while recognizing the evolving role of private-market investment opportunities. At the same time, CfPA urged the Department to make the proposed safe harbor more practical by adding objective criteria and documentation thresholds that fiduciaries can apply consistently.

“Expanding access to private markets shou...more

Not every company that needs capital is a good candidate for crowdfunding.

That is the first thing founders and executives should understand. Crowdfunding is not simply a financing transaction moved online. It is a public capital-raising campaign that requires a company to explain its business clearly, activate an audience, support investor diligence, comply with securities rules, and market the offering over a period of weeks or months.

The best candidates are not merely companies that want money. They are companies with leadership teams that can turn a financing need into a credible public campaign.

A strong crowdfunding candidate usually has five things: a clear story, a reachable audience or serious marketing plan, a concrete reason to raise now, the budget to run the campaign properly, and the discipline to manage ongoing compliance after the raise.

A clear and compelling story

A company does not need to be simple, but its public-facing story does need to be understandable.

Prospe...more

Advancing the future of private capital formation.

The CfPA SEC Subcommittee engages directly with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on policy alignment, industry compliance, exempt offerings, and the evolving regulatory landscape surrounding crypto and digital assets.

By bringing industry voices to the table, CfPA continues to advocate for balanced regulation, market integrity, innovation, and expanded opportunities for investors and issuers alike.

Progress happens when collaboration meets purpose.

Join the CfPA as a member today and lend your voice to any number of the CfPA Committees or Subcommittees working to make a difference in the Regulated Investment Crowdfunding industry.   

A little over a year ago I sat through the SEC Capital Markets Subcommittee hearing on Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) and Regulation A+. I walked away with mixed feelings. The advocates pushing to expand these pathways for capital formation got me fired up, especially for what it means for small businesses and everyday investors. But I was also frustrated that comprehensive risk mitigation and investor protection barely came up.

Twelve months later, not much has changed on that front. The advocacy for expanding Reg CF and Reg A+ has only gotten louder, and rightly so. But the conversation around protecting the unaccredited investors these frameworks are designed to welcome still hasn't caught up. So I want to take another swing at why that matters, and why TigerMark D&O exists to fill exactly that gap.

A quick note on what's changed on my end. TigerMark now sits under Equal Parts Insurance, the AI-native brokerage and MGA I joined when Assurely was acquired in 2025. The product i...more

I’ve spent years immersed in the world of impact investing, and if I sound a little fired up today, it’s because I am. The traditional capital markets continue to overlook brilliant, diverse entrepreneurs—especially those working in and for their communities. That’s why I’m passionate about regulated investment crowdfunding (Regulation Crowdfunding or Reg CF, particularly). It’s not perfect, but it’s the most promising tool we have to democratize access to capital, empower underrepresented founders, and reshape our economy from the ground up. Here are just a few of the reasons I believe so deeply in this movement:

1. Democratization of Capital
   Reg CF breaks down barriers that historically excluded all but the wealthy from investing in private ventures.

2. Access to Overlooked Founders
   Traditional VC overlooks diverse founders; Reg CF helps level the playing field by allowing the crowd to support talent the system ignores.

3. Rooted in Community
   Reg CF enables investment in local businesses a