News
This week's CDBA Storybank video highlights The Bank of Cherokee County in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, one of the first Native Community Development Financial Institutions in the country. Its featured clients are small business owners who have developed the Bright Start child care center and the Go Ye Village retirement home, both of which serve the community of Tahlequah. The Bank of Cherokee County "is not just a bank," says Go Ye Village's Steve Thomas. "They're more of a partner in the process."
Historically Black-owned banks have been a foundational pillar for the community by providing African Americans access to financial services and capital for businesses. Now, with movements such as #BankBlack, social media has brought awareness to the importance of banking Black and using our money to back these institutions. For those interested in making the shift over, Rolling Out recommends five high-performing black banks, including CDBA's Industrial Bank, OneUnited Bank, and The Harbor Bank of Maryland.
This week, The Clearinghouse CDFI announced a $195,000 investment in Native American Bank, the only Native American-owned, nationwide financial institution. With this investment, Clearinghouse CDFI becomes Native American Bank's first CDFI investor out of thirty-four different shareholders. "We are pleased to make this investment," said Clearinghouse CDFI President and CEO Douglas Bystry. "We are excited to partner with them in providing affordable and flexible financial services to Native American and Alaskan Native individuals, enterprises, and governments."
The number of community banks in our nation is at the lowest point in recent history. From a high of 18,033 in 1985, we've come to just 5,477 as of the third quarter of 2018. Additionally, many community banks have sold to larger institutions as heavy consolidation takes over the banking sector. Local banks are especially important because they support the nation's small businesses, which employ the majority of Americans. In fact, according to the Small Business Administration, small businesses make up 49.2 percent of private-sector employment.
The Omidyar Network, a venture capital fund started by Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay, recently spun off the portion of its portfolio devoted to financial-inclusion businesses. This new venture firm, called Flourish, will focus solely on backing fintech entrepreneurs whose innovations are helping people take advantage of economic opportunity and achieve financial health. Tilman Ehrbeck, managing partner of the new venture capital firm, shared the logic behind the spinoff and how he finds fintech startups that have a social mission, yet are also moneymakers. Read the full interview with Ehrbeck.
Rural America has a robust cultural history that has enriched the nation and its people. However, rural areas are also beset with social and economic challenges. Population migration and persistent poverty are contributing to a widening urban-rural divide in many states. But by utilizing the creative sector, specifically arts and culture, governors have a viable approach for changing the status quo. This new Rural Action Guide shares in depth research, processes, and lessons for just how to lead strategies for success.
Governor Lael Brainard of the Federal Reserve Board recently detailed possible steps forward on reforming the Community Reinvestment Act. These possible provisions include an updated approach to CRA assessment boundaries, revising how banks are tested for community development activities, and tailoring certain CRA requirements based on bank size. The aim is to recognize activities beyond a bank's branch network, the traditional CRA assessment boundary, while still prioritizing activities within that network. "By creating separate assessment areas for retail and community development activities, we believe that banks would continue to place their community at the center of their retail lending and service activities while participating in meaningful community development opportunities," said Brainard in a speech to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.
The StoryBank Project is a CDBA initiative to capture success stories of various impactful loans from our member banks through the eyes of their customers. These important stories show how underserved communities benefit directly from mission-based banking and financial services. This month's video highlights M&F Bank in Durham, North Carolina -- the second-oldest minority-owned bank in the United States. Its featured client, UDI Community Development Corporation, is a nonprofit that reinvests in low-wealth communities.
The CDBA office would like to introduce you to the newest member of our team. As CDBA's Membership Director, Anna will lead the development and execution of education and peer networking opportunities for member banks. Anna joins CDBA from Partners for the Common Good, a national CDFI loan fund based in Washington, D.C. With a background in CDFI Fund programs, social impact analysis, and investor relations, Anna is excited to work with CDFI banks to build capacity and continue to serve low- and moderate-income communities. Anna is originally from Flowery Branch, Georgia and holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Princeton University. Please join us in welcoming Anna.
B Corps are businesses that have been certified by the nonprofit B Lab as being committed to the ideal of using "business as a force for good." As community development banks already have that ideal built into their foundations, these banks make a great fit for the B Corp movement. "It's in our DNA to serve our community, particularly low- and moderate-income communities," says City First Bank CEO Brian Argrett. "Our approach to being a community bank was already fully aligned with what B Lab was doing." CDBA's Spring Bank and Sunrise Banks are also identified as stellar examples.