Recent News
A trio of investment funds established to inject capital into minority-owned banks and community development financial institutions share the same ambitious goal: eliminating the nation's racial wealth gap. To date, however, the collective impact of MDI Keeper's Fund, the Black Bank Fund and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s Mission-Driven Bank Fund has been limited. One big reason is that other sources of capital — namely, large banks and the federal government — are also making investments in minority depository institutions and CDFIs. The recent influx of cash — largely the result... Read more
There's money to be made for banks that offer low-cost deposit accounts to previously unbanked or underbanked households. That's one of the key takeaways from a recent Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis report that looks at new account openings, debit transactions and online banking activity, associated with Bank On checking accounts. Bank On accounts, offered by dozens of banks, must charge no overdraft fees and no-fee debit cards, among other things, as designated by the nonprofit Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. Last year, customers at 17 financial institutions opened 2.2 million... Read more
Durango resident Jenni Gross was out of work for more than eight months after the building where she leased space for her business, The Soup Palette, was sold to a new owner, and she was forced to close. Today she operates out of a food truck she was able to purchase through a unique lending partnership between the First Southwest Bank and its sister non-profit. Hundreds of entrepreneurs in Southern Colorado have been able to start or expand their businesses thanks to a unique partnership between the First Southwest Bank and its sister non-profit, the First Southwest Community Fund. During... Read more
Values-based community bank Climate First Bank has partnered with Project Regeneration to develop a one-of-a-kind checking account that will support, promote and create funding for the environmental nonprofit's mission of planetary regeneration. When a client opens a Project Regeneration checking account, a $100 donation will also be made directly to Project Regeneration to assist with the foundation’s sustainable initiatives. In addition to the one-time contribution, monthly earnings garnered from the interest on all balances will be donated to the foundation. The account will also have... Read more
Across the country, community groups are soliciting e-bike companies for help competing for state money in the hopes of getting more people riding. Cities like Portland, Denver, and Buffalo are launching pilot projects that explore ways to subsidize e-bike purchases for low-income families or collect enough bikes together to launch mini-shared micromobility services. But the goal isn't just to get more people on e-bikes; it's also about reducing tailpipe emissions and saving the planet. Through a partnership with Spring Bank and grants from the state government, the Equitable Commute... Read more
A new small-dollar loan for borrowers with limited credit histories has emerged from a partnership between a community development financial institution and a fintech. NAAC Finance, the new digital lending arm of the National Asian American Coalition, developed the product with Asenso Finance, a startup that processes and services loans for financial institutions. The loan has two unusual features: Customers must complete financial literacy training before their loan is approved, and alternative data such as income is used in the underwriting. The relationship between NAAC — a CDFI in Daly... Read more
Giant Food announced on Wednesday that they are investing $50 million to support The Harbor Bank of Maryland, the state's only black-owned and -managed commercial bank. The investment will increase the amount of loans the bank is able to give out. Through this investment, Giant and Harbor Bank aim to help underserved communities by bolstering local businesses, as well as technological and personal advancement.
In October, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) reported that its Awards Management Information System (AMIS) would be transitioning to an updated user interface. Originally scheduled to occur in mid-December, the conversion to the Salesforce Lightning environment is now scheduled to take place on January 14, 2022. Questions regarding AMIS can be submitted via a Service Request in AMIS, email at amis@cdfi.treas.gov, or phone at (202) 653-0422.
Over the past year, increased funding and enhanced recognition of the role Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) play in facilitating economic recovery, inclusion and opportunity in distressed and underserved communities has generated a dramatic increase in the number of organizations seeking Certification as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). In order to right-size expectations of the time needed to provide a decision, going forward, the CDFI Fund can no longer commit to providing determinations on CDFI Certification Applications and Target Market... Read more
Over the past year, increased funding and enhanced recognition of the role Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) play in facilitating economic recovery, inclusion and opportunity in distressed and underserved communities has generated a dramatic increase in the number of organizations seeking Certification as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). In order to right-size expectations of the time needed to provide a decision, going forward, the CDFI Fund can no longer commit to providing determinations on CDFI Certification Applications and Target Market... Read more
Southern Bancorp Community Partners on Monday announced that it had hired Anthony Young, a former director of capital programs at the nonprofit Epicenter Foundation, as its new president. Young replaces Karama Neal, who earlier this year was appointed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service. At the Memphis-based Epicenter, Young connected entrepreneurs to a variety of capital types and helped ensure equitable access to capital across the community, SBCP said in a news release. He previously served as the economic development director at River City Capital... Read more
UB Community Development LLC, a community development partner of United Bank, announced that it has closed a $7 million New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) transaction with Carson Lovell Inc. to develop and construct two federally qualified health centers, which will be located in Milton and Pensacola. The health centers will be operated by Community Health Northwest Florida. Community Health Northwest Florida is a clinic-to-community healthcare provider with 17 care locations throughout Pensacola and the surrounding area.
Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael J. Hsu delivered remarks on December 8 before the Consumer Federation of America's 34th Annual Financial Services Conference. The remarks, entitled “Reforming Overdraft Programs to Empower and Promote Financial Health”, touched on historical context, inequities, and potential solutions related to bank overdraft programs.
In September, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) announced the availability of up to $1.9 million in funding through the fiscal year (FY) 2022 round of the AmeriCorps CDFI Economic Mobility Corps (EMC), which is a joint initiative of the CDFI Fund and AmeriCorps that places full-time national service members in Certified Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to enhance their capacity to provide financial literacy, financial planning, budgeting, saving, and other financial counseling activities. Organizations that are interested in applying for... Read more
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. plans to auction off a controlling stake in Birmingham, Alabama-based Alamerica Bank on Wednesday, a move that could result in Alamerica passing out of minority ownership. While a preliminary bidder's list included several large Black-owned banks, it also included some non-minority bidders. Founded in January 2000, the $15.4 million-asset Alamerica is the smallest of the 17 remaining Black-owned banks in the United States. According to William Michael Cunningham, CEO at Creative Investment Research and an authority on Black-owned banks, the FDIC-owned... Read more
First Southwest Bank isn't one to borrow a page from another bank's playbook. The $435 million-asset community development financial institution (CDFI) in Alamosa, Colo., creates lending programs that are highly tailored to the needs of its rural communities. "We test a lot of programs," says president and CEO Kent Curtis. "If a program works in the area and we think we can duplicate it within our footprint or in other rural areas around the state of Colorado, then we'll do that." That mindset, and its dedication to its community, has led to the bank receiving hundreds of thousands of... Read more
Kent Curtis, President & CEO of First Southwest Bank, with six locations serving southern Colorado, will serve on the Colorado Bankers Association Board of Directors for a multi-year term. The Board of Directors of the Colorado Bankers Association leads the organization in its policy and industry advocacy efforts. The Colorado Bankers Association represents more than 95 percent of the 129 banks operating in Colorado, which have $190 billion in assets, 1,445 branches across the state and more than 20,000 dedicated employees. With over 25 years of successful banking experience, and... Read more
For Andrew Kaplan, the chief digital and banking as a service officer at New York Community Bancorp, the reasons to make his bank the first to mint a new stablecoin called USDF were clear. The bank has begun working with Figure Technologies to issue a stablecoin, a digital asset that is always equal to a U.S. dollar, that runs on a blockchain Figure developed called Provenance. As lenders and investors buy and sell loans and other assets on Provenance, the use of the USDF stablecoin lets them settle those transactions instantly. New York Community Bank and Figure hope other banks will join... Read more
National Cooperative Bank (NCB), a leading financial services company dedicated to providing banking products and services to cooperatives, their members, and socially responsible organizations nationwide, announces Casey Fannon as Acting Chief Executive Officer. "With the sudden passing of Chuck Snyder, NCB's CEO of 29 years on November 6, 2021, NCB and the co-op community have suffered a major loss," stated Debra Huddleston, Chair of NCB's Board of Directors. "We are however very fortunate with the leadership strength of the bank, and I am pleased to announce that the Board of Directors... Read more
Carver Federal Savings Bank ("Carver"), a certified Minority Depository Institution ("MDI"), announced today that it signed an agreement with Moody's Analytics to begin incorporating the power of its CreditLens solutions to improve customer experience and provide enhancements like the ability to apply for credit through a one-click process typically only found at larger institutions. Carver expects to fully roll out the CreditLens platform to its business clientele in early 2022, including a full suite of enhanced small business loan products. Carver will continue to provide its customers... Read more