Butler Snow attorneys Caitlyn Burchfield and Charity Karanja have been selected to speak at the Council of Development Finance Agencies Winter Institute: Intro Bond Finance Course on February 24, 2026. The session provides an in-depth look at governmental and qualified private activity bonds, with a focus on industrial development bonds (IDBs), 501(c)(3) non-profit bonds, exempt facility bonds, and other special bond programs authorized by the federal government.
Burchfield will lead a session titled “The Basics of Bond Finance,” a short session that introduces bonds as the cornerstone of most development finance projects and discusses the various types of bonds used in a transaction.
Karanja will help lead a separate session titled “The Partners Involved,” a session that provides a practical overview of the key players in a bond transaction and how their responsibilities fit together. The session will explore the roles that each party plays, considerations for assembling the right team, and the key documents that may be required to move the transaction from planning to closing.
Burchfield is a member of Butler Snow’s Public Finance, Tax Incentives & Credit Markets group. She provides counsel in connection with various types of tax-exempt and taxable debt, including direct bank placements, public market offerings, tax anticipation warrants, USDA financings, and refundings of prior issuances. Burchfield’s representative projects span the U.S., with a particular focus on the Southeast. She regularly serves as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, and lender’s counsel.
Karanja is a member of Butler Snow’s Public Finance, Tax Incentives and Credit Markets group and is a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) through the Council of Development Finance Agencies. She also has the distinction of being one of six women in the nation named to the 2024 Class of the Caren S. Franzini Fellowship, a merit-based program by the CDFA Foundation, recognizing outstanding women in development finance for their leadership and dedication to the advancement of the industry. Karanja has served in multiple roles on public finance and economic development matters and has represented both governmental and private institutions across the nation in a variety of financing transactions.
