How much money moves because of that friction? Here is one measurable piece. When banks merge, they must show the deal benefits the public — and their CRA record is the evidence. Community groups have used that moment of leverage to negotiate binding community benefits agreements: written commitments for mortgage lending, small business lending, community development investment, and philanthropy in underserved neighborhoods. Since 2016, agreements negotiated through the National Community Reinvestment Coalition alone with 22 bank groups total nearly $688 billion. One bank — Huntington — renewed its plan for another $80 billion just weeks before this proposal dropped.

None of that money was donated out of kindness. It was negotiated, and the negotiating table exists because the law keeps score. Think of the CRA as a meter on a pipe: it does not force money back into the neighborhood, but it measures whether any is flowing, and it makes the reading public. Almost everything the law accomplishes — including that $688 billion — it accomplishes through the meter.

“There is a reason banks nationwide maintain a percentage of branches in LMI areas at about 25%,” said Jesse Van Tol, CEO for the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. “The entire reason is the CRA.”

Sally Martin O’Toole, Cleveland’s director of building and housing, said she expects lenders to pay less attention to LMI areas absent of CRA policies holding them accountable.

“Proposed CRA rule changes threaten to undermine the fabric that preserves equity in lending and investment in low- and moderate-income census tracts,” she said. “This would mean the creation of fewer affordable housing units and less accountability for fair lending practices.”

Upward of 98% of examined banks pass their CRA exams. Yet, stakeholders tend to feel that there is an ongoing lack of investment in LMI communities across the country. That’s why housing advocates want to see the CRA optimized to be more effective and not modernized in a way that benefits lenders more than the communities they

The rule also revises small business lending coverage thresholds under Regulation B, a change that could reclassify thousands of lenders as “financial institutions” subject to additional reporting requirements. According to the FDIC’s Q4 2025 Call Report, institutions with under $1 billion in assets originated 31% of all small business loans under $250,000—a segment now facing potential compliance creep. Community banks and credit unions may need to invest in scalable loan origination systems or consult with [corporate law firms specializing in financial services regulation] to navigate the revised definitional boundaries without overextending compliance budgets.

Meanwhile, the retention of special purpose credit programs (SPCPs) under the revised rule preserves a critical tool for mission-driven lenders aiming to address persistent wealth gaps. The CFPB retained language allowing SPCPs to consider factors like race or gender when designed to meet a specific social need, provided they undergo annual review and board approval—a provision supported by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition in its April 2026 comment letter. This preservation enables CDFIs and minority depository institutions to continue deploying targeted lending products, such as the $500 million home purchase program launched by Self-Help Credit Union in Q1 2026, which uses alternative underwriting to approve 65% of applicants rejected by conventional models.

Through partnerships with KeyBank and HSBC Bank USA NA, a total of $4 million was allocated to support direct-to-client housing counseling services for NCRC members. These funds will be distributed via three annual rounds to help housing counseling agencies expand services and support homeownership in underserved communities.

In 2025, NCRC awarded $1.34 million in FEF-HCS grants to 59 NCRC member organizations. $1.36 million will be awarded in grants in the 2026 round to HUD-approved housing counseling agencies that serve clients within target geographies. 

The following states have eligible geographies: AL, AZ, AR, CA, CT, CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, MA, MD, MI, MS, MO, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, DC and Puerto Rico. For more information on the eligibility determination process, agencies should review the Eligibility Maps listed on the FEF-HCS’ homepage.

The Housing Counseling Services grant program within FEF supports HUD-approved housing counseling agencies in strengthening services that help families achieve and sustain homeownership. This includes programs such as pre-purchase counseling and homebuyer education that prepare individuals and families to navigate the homebuying process successfully.

The program also helps agencies expand their understanding of heirs’ property challenges by equipping first-time and low-income homebuyers with the knowledge needed to protect and retain intergenerational wealth. By building stronger counseling programs and expanding service capacity, FEF-HCS aims to ensure underserved families not only achieve homeownership but also maintain long-term housing stability.

“NCRC is pleased to support the success of first-time homebuyers in all stages of their journey, from purchase to passing on their assets, with the expert guidance of our member housing counseling agencies,”  said Laura Bentley, NCRC’s director of grant administration. “Through the Field Empowerment Fund, we look forward to boosting agencies’ capacity and knowledge, thus bolstering their continued service to their communities.” 

Since its launch in 2021, the Field Empowerment Fund has provided millions of dollars in grants to NCRC member organizations working to expand wealth-building services for low- and moderate-income communities across the country.

All applications should be submitted through NCRC’s online portal no later than 5 pm ET on May 1, 2026.

Questions regarding this opportunity should be emailed to impact@ncrc.org, with the subject line “FEF-HCS.”

Jesse Van Tol, president of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, a nonprofit that pressures banks to do more business in underserved communities, often by fighting bank mergers, praised Fifth Third’s CEO.

“Tim Spence has an interest in financial inclusion that is uncommon for a bank CEO,” Van Tol said in an interview. “I would hope that the bank brings that perspective strongly to bear on how they run the Direct Express program.”

URL Media and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition plan an expansion of their pilot program, the Media Resilience Fund, to provide low-interest financing to community media, particularly those meeting critical information needs in underserved and underestimated populations. Rebuild Local News, which advocates for public policy changes to support and strengthen local journalism, also serves as partner consultant on the project. 

The expansion is made possible by a grant from Press Forward’s Open Call on Infrastructure, which is providing $22 million to 22 projects that address the urgent challenges local newsrooms face today. URL and NCRC will receive $1.25 million to strengthen the financial infrastructure behind trusted local journalism. The funding enables local newsrooms to hire staff who can strengthen revenue, pursue business partnerships that grow revenue, or implement technological upgrades that enhance revenue. By offering flexible loans and tailored financial guidance, this initiative helps independent outlets stabilize operations and invest directly in those revenue-generating strategies.

The motivations behind the proposal: Cruz said the CFPB, which is an independent government agency, is “an unelected, unaccountable bureaucratic agency that has imposed burdensome and harmful regulations on American businesses, banks, and credit unions.” 

Elon Musk is not a fan either, saying in November that the Trump administration should “delete” the CFPB.

What CFPB allies say: “Gutting the CFPB is an open invitation to the worst actors in our economy to start screwing over working people again,” said Jesse Van Tol, who leads the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, which works to build wealth for underserved communities.

Lawmakers also explicitly required financial regulatory agencies to establish the minority and women inclusion offices under Section 342 of the Dodd-Frank Act, with the goal of attracting talent, fostering inclusion, and developing standards to assess diversity policies and practices among regulated entities.

It’s unclear whether all the covered agencies had disbanded those offices altogether, but their initial compliance with Trump’s directives sent a chilling signal, said Jesse Van Tol, the president and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

Trump’s executive action “doesn’t have the same force as law, and the creation of those offices was established under the law in Dodd-Frank,” Van Tol said. “If they did indeed shut down access to the websites in response to the executive order, that would be troubling and potentially legally problematic.”

In addition to their hard work and commitment to economic justice for all, each of these women have personal goals and have accomplished achievements that mean the world to us.

Women can do it all and, at NCRC, we bear witness to that truth every day. Their resilience, ambition and unwavering drive are a testament to the power of women in the workplace and beyond. Today and always, we celebrate them.

Being a woman in America right now feels exhausting, but I’m proud of being able to work for an organization that is dedicated to a just economy. I’m proud of all the women in the world who are holding their ground and carving out a path for themselves and I look forward to a brighter future where justice and equality prevail.

— Elisabeth Butler

What makes me proud and happy as a woman is the confidence to lead and the courage to do it my way. In a world that often tries to put women in a box, I’ve built a career—and a life—by breaking barriers, trusting my instincts and leading with both strength and humor. I believe leadership isn’t just about making decisions: it’s about making connections, lifting others up and never being afraid to laugh along the way. Success is serious, but who says we can’t have fun getting there?

— Carolina Rodrigues

As the popular saying goes, ‘Behind every great woman is another great woman.’ I celebrate all the women who have invested in me, helping me become a powerful, gentle, brilliant and joyful woman. I can’t help but feel incredibly proud of all the strong and kind women in this world.

—Haley Schneider

‘A strong woman knows she has strength enough for the journey, but a woman of strength knows it is in the journey where she becomes strong.’ My greatest mentor and teacher in life is a woman—my mom. As a single mom she worked tirelessly to provide for me and my five siblings, often putting her own needs aside to ensure we had every opportunity to succeed. In May 2024, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. I watch her struggle to continue to navigate her diagnosis with strength and resilience—yet, becoming stronger every day. Now, as I reflect on my understanding of female joy and happiness, it is deeply rooted in the power that comes from a woman’s ability to overcome pain, hardships and injustice. It is in the way we find beauty despite the world wrongfully dictating what our beauty should be. During these difficult times for immigrants and women in America, I hope we find joy and happiness in the understanding that us, as women of strength, are made for this journey. We run this.

— Rose Ramirez

I work in economic justice because everyone deserves the dignity of a living wage and helping their family thrive. I’m grateful to be in a position to fight for a future where people who share my experiences can achieve both.

— Sabrina Terry

I am proud and happy that I can create space for others to be their full, authentic selves and let their strengths shine. As a transgender woman, this feels especially important in a time when women, queer people, immigrants, BIPOC people and so many others are under attack.

— Chloe Sabharwal

During these turbulent times in American history, I’m proud I work for an organization that believes everyone, regardless of their identifiers, has the right to financial services, a safe and affordable home, a thriving and healthy community and a country that not only promises but delivers to all Americans opportunities to build wealth and live well.

— Alyssa Wiltse

I am thankful to be a mother and to work in this space where my efforts—along with those of others—help bridge the racial wealth gap.

— Daniella Djiogan

I’m proud to have a powerful lineage of Black women here in the physical and in the spiritual realm whose work and legacies that continue to provide ample wisdom and guidance as I navigate my own journey.

— Timantha Goff

I take pride in providing guidance to the participants of our Marketing and Development internship program at NCRC. I’m also proud to be a woman achieving my goals despite life’s challenges. Additionally, I am proud to be the first in my family to earn a degree, travel the world and allow myself to achieve even more. Most importantly, I am proud to be myself—embracing my journey, my growth and everything that makes me who I am.

— Alejandra Pringle

I’m thrilled to be part of NCRC, where we support our members and work directly with people affected by housing and lending discrimination. As a woman in this field, it’s so fulfilling to channel my skills and background into advocating for economic justice. It is very rewarding to know that my work contributes to NCRC’s broader mission of creating pathways to wealth-building for all communities, regardless of race, gender or economic background.

— Victoria Haush

As a woman, I’m proud of the work that I can do to make the world better in a small way — through fair housing and other economic justice-related issues — and I hope I can inspire future generations of women to do the same.

— Nichole Nelson

Regardless of whether Republicans will vote to confirm Gaetz given the allegations against him, his stance as a skeptic of mergers and his previous work investigating banks as part of his House committee assignment shows that the Trump administration is embracing the increasing importance of economic populism in the Republican party in a way Trump didn’t in his first term. 

“Certainly you could take from it that Trump is not afraid to nominate someone who has pretty strong antitrust views, and pretty strong views on big business in general,” said Jesse Van Tol, president and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. 

While Van Tol said that it’s unlikely that Gaetz survives Senate confirmation, the willingness of the Trump administration to pick one of the Republican antitrust movement’s most outspoken supporters speaks volumes. 

More than 70 banks have announced plans to sell in 2024, putting the year on track to eclipse last year’s total of 100. M&A in 2023 was held in check in large part by surging interest rates that spiked deposit costs, curbed loan demand and raised the specter of recession.

But the Federal Reserve is on the cusp of lowering rates, perhaps as soon as its Sept. 18 meeting. The futures market is pricing in a 25-basis-point cut with a chance for a 50-basis-point reduction.   

Deals are also getting larger on average. Through July of this year, bank M&A transactions in aggregate were valued at $9.25 billion, above the $4.15 billion for all of 2023, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

This is the national event for community, business, foundation, policy and government leaders who want a nation that not only promises but delivers opportunities for all Americans to build wealth and live well. National and local leaders, visionaries and changemakers gather to learn, ask hard questions, network and share ideas on how to make a Just Economy a national priority and a local reality. 

Along with keynote speakers and conversations on the main stage, the conference includes a wide range of breakout sessions and workshops. 

What do you want to talk about? Whose voices do you want to include? What new ideas, best practices or insights can you share from your work and experience? 

We generally favor conversations and interaction, but workshops designed to instruct and convey best practices are also welcome. 

We’re inviting you now: pitch your session ideas. Tell us what you want to talk about, and who you want to include in the discussion. Click here for more information and to submit your proposal. For additional information about the session submission process, watch this webinar.

The first session in the series will be at 2 pm ET on Aug. 15th: Winning Strategies for CDFIs in Special Purpose Credit Programs, with Imani Cherry, an attorney with Relman Colfax, and Dafina Williams, EVP, Chief Public Policy Officer & Head of Government Affairs for Opportunity Finance Network. Jacelyn Matthews, NCRC Director of National Training Academy, will be the moderator.

Learn more and register here.

1. Understand Your Business Needs and Goals

Before applying for a loan, it is important to assess why you need a loan and for what purpose and goal. For example, would it be used to purchase equipment, expand operations, buy inventory, manage cash flow or open a physical location? These are a few of the many reasons why a business might decide to take on debt. As you are in the reflection phase, it is advisable to have a clear purpose since it will help you determine what type of loan you will need and how much you should request from a lender.

2. Know Your Credit Score

Both personal and business credit scores play such a significant role in the loan application process, as this is often used to assess creditworthiness and repayment ability. Traditional banks typically require a higher score than non-traditional financial institutions who cater to underserved populations, such as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). It is important to check your score to determine your credit eligibility prior to reaching out to a lender for a loan. In the event that you need to further improve your credit, it is recommended to begin lowering your debts, keep credit card utilization at or below 30% and fix issues by filing disputes (if applicable) with the credit bureaus such as TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.

3. Explore and Determine the Type of Loan

It is essential to research the various loan options and understand their differences so you are able to choose the best option that suits your business needs. Below are just a few of many options.

• Term Loans: Fixed funds with set repayment deadlines. These are typically ideal for purchasing equipment, vehicles, construction, etc.
• Lines of Credit: Flexible funding option that allow you to borrow as needed up to a certain limit. Typically used for working capital.
• SBA Loans: Government-backed loans with favorable terms for small businesses. Typically used for refinancing, real estate improvement, etc.
• Equipment Financing: Loans made specifically for purchasing business equipment.
• Invoice Financing: Loans made against outstanding invoices.

4. Assess Business Financial Health

It is vital to keep your financial documents in order and understand the financial positioning of your business prior to undertaking debt. This includes understanding your financial statement, cash flow and profit margin so that you can have a more seamless application process and also ensure you will have no issues repaying the loan. For assistance with analyzing your business financial health, contact your local Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or financial advisor.

5. Determine Loan Amount Needed

After analyzing your business finances, identify areas that require funding and determine how much money you need. Make sure you anticipate and plan for future unexpected additional financial demands. Lastly, do not forget to consider your repayment ability by calculating your Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) which measures cash flow or operating income available to pay debt obligations. A DSCR of 1 or above indicates positive business cash flow while a DSCR lower than 1 typically indicates the business has lower operating income to repay debt. 

6. Compare and Shop for Loans

Given that different loans have varying eligibility requirements, interest rates, terms and potential fees associated with them, it is important to make sure you figure out what financing option best caters to your business specific need. Avoid predatory lenders, especially those that offer fast loans with abnormally high interest rates.

7. Schedule a Conversation with a Prospective Lender

Prepare a set of essential questions to ask your prospective lender of choice. These questions should aim to improve your understanding of the loan’s terms and conditions, interest rates, fees, penalties and other bank requirements and obligations.

8. Prepare Loan Application Documents

Each lender will have specific document requirements. However generally, the following are requested.

• Proof of Business Ownership
  • EIN, Business licenses, and articles of incorporation
• Clear and detailed business plan
• Tax returns (Business and/or Personal)
• Bank Statements (Business and/or Personal)
• Financial Statements or projections
• Balance sheets, Income statements, and Cash Flow statements
• Collateral documentation (if required)
  • This might include property tax assessments, accounts receivable reports, and furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) lists. 

You can improve your application process by preparing these documents in advance. A common pitfall that leads to loan rejection is submitting a partial application, untimely submissions and providing financial documentation that reflect inaccurate information.

9. Re-affirm Borrowing Decision

After assessing your need for additional capital, identifying the specific type of loan that matches your business goal, developing a repayment strategy and having contingencies in place in case of unexpected hardships, make sure you feel comfortable with the idea of taking on debt. The loan should ideally position your business in a much better state for increased revenue than the status quo.

10. Seek Advice

It is always advisable to seek advice from a financial professional or a business counselor. Unlike most traditional financial institutions, CDFIs typically do provide counseling to businesses seeking loans. At the NCRC Community Development Fund, we provide small business loans and free workshops, group sessions, one-on-one counseling, and access to financial resources to empower business owners with the knowledge, tools, and skills to succeed.

For more information, please visit https://www.communitydevelopmentfund.org/.

Four in 10 Americans carry some kind of medical debt, an affliction that is unique to the United States among wealthy nations. The country does not guarantee medical insurance to everyone, and the costs even to people who carry coverage are much higher on average than they are for patients in the rest of the developed world. It’s a fundamental flaw in the design of the US health care system.

Those debts weigh on the people who carry them: Research has found that people who incur substantial medical bills (after a cancer diagnosis, for example) report cutting back on everyday spending, depleting their savings, and even downsizing their homes. Medical debt is associated with poorer general health, as well as higher rates of cancer, heart disease, and overall mortality. People end up sicker because they can’t afford their health care.