This article from the American Banker examines the consolidation of the US banking industry and the decline of the number of individual FDIC-insured institutions amidst high regulatory costs. It argues for the rethinking of the regulatory approach to the community development financial sector.

Sunrise Banks and Hiawatha Academies have partnered to mobilize some of Sunrise's recent $70M New Markets Tax Credit allocation to construct a new campus for Hiawatha Collegiate High School. The school enrolled 475 students this fall, and through this new facility, it will grow to a full capacity of 788 students and 84 staff. "The Hiawatha Academies project is a great example of the positive impact of the NMTC Program one block at a time," said Sunrise Banks CEO David Reiling.

City First Bank has partnered with SOLE Financial to offer a payroll card program to its business clients who employ unbanked workers. This program will reduce the burden that paper payroll checks place on the unbanked. Their clients will save significant revenue at the company level as well as save on check cashing fees at the individual employee level by transitioning from paper checks to the SOLE Paycard. Charlene Davis, VP Branch Relationship Manager at City First, said, "This partnership supports our mission to continuously provide services to low- and moderate-income communities."

This report, from the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions, provides new insight into how and why immigrants that have entered the financial mainstream engage with their financial institution. The study analyzes product utilization, survey and interview data from a sample of immigrant members at seven credit unions around the United States.