Episode 82: CRA Tips: Less is More – Perfecting Your CRA File by Cutting the Clutter
As most of you know, the public file is a straightforward requirement of the CRA. Its purpose is to disclose basic information about your bank,...
Episode 81: CRA Tips: 46th Anniversary of the CRA – How will you serve?
On October 12, 2023, we marked the 46th anniversary of the CRA. As we reflect on the past, I challenge you to consider your role in extending...
Episode 80: CRA Tips: CRA Services Hours, Events, or Instances? What the What?!?
In a recent CRA fundamentals office hours session, we discussed current practices around community development services. One bank professional...
Episode 79: CRA Tips: You are not alone…
In a recent webinar, I received some great tips from a panel of women who shared their journeys in leading their CRA programs. I was inspired...
Episode 78: CRA Tips: Finish Strong: How to Prepare for Your Next CRA Exam
In case you missed it, I recently published an article in the ABA Compliance Magazine earlier this year. It was all about preparing for your...
Episode 77: CRA Tips: CDCs – Your Partners in Community Development
I recently walked a CRA officer through a potential loan transaction in partnership with a community development corporation, otherwise known...
Episode 75: CRA Tip: The Pandemic May Be Over but SBA PPP Loans May Still Have an Impact During Your Next Exam
Your previous CRA exam may not have included pandemic activities, but your next one is likely to include activity around the SBA’s Paycheck...
Episode 74: CRA Tips: What “hooks” could a loan to a nonprofit fall under?
Recently, I was approached by a CRA professional in the industry who was about to be examined. They were working on compiling all their...
Episode 73: CRA Tips: I’m an ISB, do I really need to look at my lending performance?
I recently received a question from someone newer to the CRA within an intermediate small bank (ISB). They knew they didn’t have to report...
Episode 72: CRA Tips: Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing and CD Loans
Naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) are residential rental properties that are affordable, but unsubsidized by any federal program....
Episode 71: CRA Tips: CRA Services-What exactly does the provision of financial services mean?
In the past, regulations narrowly defined the provision of financial services. To qualify a community development service, it has to have a...
Episode 70: CRA Services: If It’s Not Documented, It Didn’t Happen
I received an email from a CRA officer who recently took over a CRA program. Although this individual is a seasoned compliance professional,...
Episode 69: CRA Tips: Regulatory Change Part III: Operational and Financial Risks
We created this checklist to support your focus on the most pressing issues faced by your bank and to spark critical conversations with key...
Episode 68: CRA Tips: Regulatory Change Part II: Reputational Risk
Regulators are continuing to enhance their focus on oversight, supervision, and enforcement, and the CRA is no exception. We expect this...
Episode 67: CRA Tips: CRA Tips: Regulatory Change Part I: Compliance Risk – The Only Constant is Change
It’s going to be a year-end like no other, and regulatory change continues to be front and center. There are several key compliance risks to be...
Episode 65: CRA Tips: Revisiting the Fundamentals: A Community Development Loan Primer
This episode will lay the foundation for community development loans as it relates to your CRA program. Community development loans must have a...
Episode 66: CRA Tips: Revisiting the Fundamentals: The Most Overlooked CD Hook
In this episode, we’re taking a deeper dive into the economic development hook, which is often an overlooked aspect of community development...
Episode 62: What exactly is the BLS and how does it relate to the CRA?
So many of you have asked "what exactly is BLS (hint, it is the Bureau of Labor Statistics) and how should I use it to support my CRA program?"...
Episode 60: How to Leverage Internal Expertise to Drive External Impact
Are you looking to take your community development services to the next level? If so, don’t underestimate the breadth and depth of internal...
Episode 59: Economic Development as a Key to Community Development Services
There are a wealth of opportunities to serve aspiring entrepreneurs and established small businesses!
Episode 58: How to Increase your CRA Services By Partnering with Impactful Organizations
After collecting information about existing employee involvement through board service and volunteerism, it’s apparent you need to increase...
Episode 57: I Bet You Are Underreporting Your Community Development Loans… Most Banks Are Too!
I predict that at least 90% of banks under report their community development loans. Yes, that’s an alarming statistic, but I believe it's...
Episode 56: Key Departments Critical to A Sound CRA Training Program
A key element of your CRA program is understanding that CRA is not always about creating new opportunities, but is about finding the...
Episode 53: It’s National Financial Capability Month…Where Do I Begin?
April 1st marked the start of National Financial Capability Month, a month during which organizations (especially financial institutions!)...
Episode 51: CRA Plan Checklist Inside!
It’s time to build your 2022 CRA strategy and action plan! Here are your next steps...
Episode 50: Haven’t Developed a CRA Plan Yet?
Build your CRA plan.You aren’t required under the Community Reinvestment Act to build a plan, but it’s an industry best-practice and will help...
Episode 49: Congrats! Take The Day Off!!
Data submitted…now what? Now that you are confident in the reliability of the data, revisit your goals for the new performance year. It’s...
Episode 48: Just 120 Business Hours Left…
Why does February only have 28 days? It seems so wrong as we are up against our March 1st CRA data reporting deadline!
Episode 47: Just 10 Business Days Left…
As you know, time is ticking away and soon you will be faced with scrubbing your CRA data to ready your small business, HMDA and community...
Episode 46: You Only Have Three Weeks Left…
Let’s refocus our time on your CRA data integrity and, for some of you, your annual CRA data submission.
Episode 45: Three Ways to Supplement Your CRA Program Today
Let's say you don't get to add to your CRA staff. What can you do to accomplish all of the work that you have before you? Today, I have three...
Episode 44: How to Build the Culture of Compliance Within the Bank
So, how do you actually build the culture of compliance within your bank?
Episode 43: How to Add a Team Member to Your CRA Mighty Team of One
So, how do you best go about dividing and conquering the work of a CRA officer? Many people inherit the CRA program and still have compliance...
Episode 42: How to Grow Your Team Without Adding Staff
Let's say you can't “add to staff” given resource constraints and you have to remain a mighty team of one doing “all of the things.” Sometimes...
Episode 41: How to Do the Undoable Deal
We spent the last few CRA tips talking about community development finance. Today’s episode focuses on filling the gap when a seemingly...
Episode 40: It Takes a Village…Do You Know Who You Can Trust?
The best and most impactful community development finance projects are not done by any one bank, CDFI or community partner. The most monumental...
Episode 39: Community Development Finance: Yes, It’s Part of Your Job Too!
Once you have a good understanding of the technical aspects of the CRA and have stabilized your CRA program, now it's time to expand your reach...
Episode 37: I Failed My CRA Data Integrity Exam – Now What?
Take a deep breath. There is life after a failed CRA data integrity exam. I’ve been through a few rough ones over the past 27 years, and every...
Episode 36: Best Practices to Ensure CRA Data Integrity
Gather all of your data-related resources into one place.Review the data-related policies and procedures. Review the content. What is missing?...
Episode 35: The Secret to a Smooth CRA Data Integrity Exam!
I bet you, you didn’t guess this one! The secret to a smooth CRA data integrity exam is your loan operations team! Yep, loan ops! Wait...
Episode 34: How to Ace Your Next CRA Data Integrity Exam!
As you know, before each exam, your regulators will conduct a review of your lending data to ensure that it is accurate enough to be relied...
Episode 33: The Devil Is in the Details but Don’t Let It Get to Your Data, Too!
The purpose of CRA data collection and maintenance is to enable examiners and the public to evaluate (through issuance of a CRA Performance...
Episode 32: Creative Items to Add to Your CRA Committee Meeting Agenda
Are you looking for creative ways to reinvigorate your CRA committee meetings?It is crucial to foster communication and collaboration during...
Episode 31: Three Documents You Must Have for Your CRA Program
When it comes to CRA program governance, there are three documents that every CRA program should have: a CRA policy, a CRA program plan and a...
Episode 30: Repurpose Your CRA Self Assessment To Build Awareness and Buy-In
Once you have a solid self-assessment document, now it is time to socialize it. Not only will you increase awareness of your CRA program, but...
Episode 29: Five Key Resources To Inform Your CRA Self Assessment
Does a blank page make you nervous? Yes, us too.Here are some documents you may want to reference (and even borrow the framework of!) to get...
Episode 27: Look Back to Learn How to Look Forward
Many banks make the mistake of spending too much time over-analyzing their performance history without giving equal airtime to formulating new...
Episode 26: Strategy Is a Commodity, Execution Is an Art
Do you know what your bank’s strategy is? If this is not something that has been shared with you, reach out to leaders within your...
Episode 25: Don’t Leave This for the Examiners to Decide
The single most important CRA exam prep tool for you to consider is a CRA self-assessment.CRA self-assessments are assessments you perform on...
Episode 24: CDFIs Are Changing The World. Will You Join Them?
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) were created to deliver responsible, affordable lending to help low-income, low-wealth and...
Episode 23: $2.2 Billion Is at Stake for Low-Income Taxpayers
Join the network of thousands of volunteers that ensures millions of low-income taxpayers receive billions of dollars in refunds, a network...
Episode 22: The Average American Has $90,460 In Consumer Debt
According to Experian data, if you have a credit card or two in your wallet, you're not alone. There is over $756 billion in outstanding credit...
Episode 21: One Super Simple Community Development Service You Might Be Under-Reporting
The low-hanging fruit of community development services is…boards and committees!Many bank executives and employees are or could be serving on...
Episode 20: Can the Countless Hours We Spent on the SBA PPP Count? You Might Be Surprised…
Can the countless hours you’ve spent on the SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) count as a community development service?The answer is yes...
Episode 19: Three Community Development Services You’d Be Surprised Don’t Count
On this week’s CRA Tip episode, we explore three community development services you might be surprised don’t count as CRA activities. Here is a...
Episode 18: Are You Unintentionally Under-Serving Low- and Moderate-Income (LMI) Communities?
Take a second look at the retail distribution of your branches, ATMs and deposit-taking ATMs. Sometimes, it is helpful to map these data points...
Episode 17: Three Ways To Inspire More Community Development Loan Activities
Last week, we talked about community development loan identification best practices – the low-hanging fruit that may already exist at your...
Episode 16: Internal Stakeholders: Who They Are And Why They Matter
You can’t do this work alone. In fact, the best CRA programs are built around key stakeholders working together towards the same CRA goals.As...
Episode 15: Community Development Loans… How Much Is Enough?
Regulators are currently revisiting the way they define a community development loan (CDL) through CRA modernization efforts. So until there is...
Episode 14: Community Development Loan Mining Strategies You Don’t Want To Miss
When looking through your loan portfolio for qualified community development loans, it is essential to have a strategic approach given limited...
Episode 13: Five Must Have Strategy and Implementation Documents to Guide Your CRA Program
As you start building or refreshing your CRA program, these internal documents can serve as a guiding light. Gather these core documents and...
Episode 12: CRA TIPS – A Series Created for CRA Practitioners
Managing the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) program for your financial institution can be challenging, especially if you’re new to the CRA....