{"id":266075,"date":"2025-10-03T10:00:48","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T14:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/?p=266075"},"modified":"2025-10-01T12:31:29","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T16:31:29","slug":"ncrc-and-its-members-leverage-the-community-advisory-councils-model-to-strengthen-underserved-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/ncrc-and-its-members-leverage-the-community-advisory-councils-model-to-strengthen-underserved-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"NCRC and its Members Leverage the Community Advisory Councils Model to Strengthen Underserved Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Investing in underserved communities takes more than a promise \u2013 it also takes a plan to keep that promise. The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) has developed multiple techniques to ensure that bank commitments translate into meaningful change for historically disadvantaged neighborhoods and that the people who live there, and organizations that service them, have a say in the process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One pillar of that work is Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) \u2013 often also known as Community Benefits Plans (CBPs) \u2013 which lay out specific commitments. Such plans typically include the creation of Community Advisory Councils (CACs), which meet regularly to support and enhance banks\u2019 work toward CBA goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

In recent years, CBAs and CACs have become essential advocacy tools for engaging financial institutions in efforts to create more equitable communities. CBAs lay the groundwork for the community and economic development programs and initiatives that will be delivered via a financial institution\u2019s collaborative partnerships with directly impacted communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These types of projects can cover such areas as small business lending, affordable single and multi-unit housing financing, preserving and expanding retail branch networks, investing in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and safe and affordable retail products like small-dollar loans, check-cashing options, mortgage loans and BankOn-certified checking accounts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CBAs<\/span><\/a> are public commitments developed in collaboration with community organizations that ensure banks meet their obligations under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), which was passed in 1977 as a way to address discriminatory banking practices such as <\/span>redlining<\/span><\/a> prevalent in minority and low- and moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without these tools, the opportunities and benefits tied to new development may not reach LMI communities. Large economic development projects have often fueled <\/span>gentrification<\/span><\/a>, displacing longtime residents and replacing local businesses <\/span>with ones serving higher-income populations<\/span><\/a>. CBAs help ensure banking institutions are meaningfully reinvesting in all communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Community Advisory Council (CAC) model builds on this foundation by providing a formal structure for expert and community input on banking institutions\u2019 proposed projects. Committees are composed of local leaders and representatives from nonprofit organizations who understand the needs and priorities of underserved communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this advisory role, CACs foster open dialogue to identify strategies to engage LMI borrowers and track progress on community commitments. They also guide banks in improving products and services to better meet community needs. At the core of CBAs, CACs and the CRA is a simple principle: the community \u2013 in partnership with the bank \u2013 defines its credit needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 2016, NCRC has facilitated agreements with <\/span>24 bank groups<\/span><\/a> totaling $593.8 billion, driving impact across a wide range of initiatives \u2013 from small business development programs to homeownership training to climate resiliency initiatives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The following case studies highlight both emerging and established CAC models, offering insight into the impact and longevity of these tools for change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First Citizens Bank in Raleigh, North Carolina<\/b><\/h3>\n

Founded in 1898 and currently operating in 19 states, First Citizens Bank is a leader in the CBP space. Its five-year, $16 billion community reinvestment plan developed alongside NCRC is evidence of the bank\u2019s strong commitment to communities through housing, small business lending and community development programming.<\/span><\/p>\n

Charged with ensuring community voices and interests are meaningfully reflected in the CBP, First Citizens\u2019 CAC includes 13 members from across the bank\u2019s broad market.<\/span><\/p>\n

The plan has maintained steady momentum and performed well over the past four years, with only a small number of components remaining as it nears completion this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur guiding principle since day one is leadership\u2019s commitment to doing the plan and to doing it right,\u201d said Mike Atkinson, senior vice president and senior director of community development at First Citizens. \u201cThe message was clear to commit wholeheartedly to fulfilling it and so that\u2019s what we\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A key driver of the plan\u2019s success is transparency with First Citizen\u2019s CAC and the community. First Citizens compiled a 100-plus page document for its CAC to review before each meeting with details from all of the bank\u2019s business units that play a role in the CBP\u2019s work.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about pulling the curtain back and telling you exactly what we\u2019re doing. What\u2019s good, not so good, or hasn’t started yet,\u201d Atkinson said. \u201cTransparency, thoroughness and comprehensiveness of information is critical.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

First Citizens prioritizes strengthening community relationships by holding regular CAC meetings promoting collaborative discussions within committee members\u2019 local markets.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been a really productive relationship for us,\u201d said CAC member and Senior Director of Operations at Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership Susan Adams. \u201cI would encourage community organizations to take advantage of the opportunity to provide candid feedback and establish new partnerships in their work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Though new to First Citizens\u2019 CAC, Symone Crawford, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Affordable Homeownership Alliance, has extensive experience serving on other CACs and said the model helps ease the challenges community development organizations face in building relationships with lenders.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a community serving low- to moderate-income individuals, we recognize that most times the solutions we seek and the proposals put forth happen without people at the table who will actually be impacted,\u201d Crawford explained. \u201cIt\u2019s gratifying to bring that to meetings and have lenders actually listen\u2026 Our voices and experiences are important for meaningful impact in the community [and] the [CAC model] provides an opportunity for that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

SouthState Bank in Winter Haven, Florida<\/b><\/h3>\n

In March 2025, SouthState Bank announced a five-year, $8.3 billion plan to support underserved communities in their service area.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re continuing a 90-plus-year legacy of fair banking practices and service to our communities and are proud to build on our core values as a community-centric bank,\u201d said SouthState\u2019s Senior Vice President and Director of Community Engagement Mellissa Slover-Athey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Slover-Athey said SouthState sees NCRC as a leader in community engagement, which is why the bank proactively approached them during the course of the CBP creation process. SouthState and NCRC conducted community listening sessions with leaders from SouthState\u2019s eight-state footprint to inform the specific goals and outcomes of the CBP.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur team [met] with organizations to understand the community, meet the players and learn the geography, while simultaneously [holding] strategic planning [sessions] looking at product and service development,\u201d Slover-Athey said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SouthState will hold the inaugural meeting of its 15-member CAC this fall. Slover-Athey is confident in the group\u2019s potential and sees it as a reflection of the bank\u2019s commitment to transparency, trust building and advancing equity in the community.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[The CAC model] helps us build meaningful and lasting connections,\u201d Slover-Athey said. \u201cIt helps us ease burdens, create a sense of well-being and do what\u2019s right for our customers and the community at all times.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nicole Rothstein is a Contributing Writer with NCRC’s Communications team.<\/em><\/p>\n

Photo caption: Announcement of SouthState Bank CBA during this year’s NCRC Just Economy Conference.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Investing in underserved communities takes more than a promise \u2013 it also takes a plan to keep that promise. The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) has developed multiple techniques to ensure that bank commitments translate into meaningful change for historically disadvantaged neighborhoods and that the people who live there, and organizations that service them, have 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