SBA: $9 Million in Grants Awarded to 49 Organizations Across America to Help Underserved Communities Access Development Funding and Innovative Research
Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s more than 34 million small businesses, announced that the SBA has issued 49 grants up to $200,000 each to organizations supporting startups through specialized training, mentoring, and technical assistance under the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. “FAST…
HUD: $5 Million Awarded to HBCUs to Conduct Housing and Community Development Research
Winston-Salem State University and Tennessee State University will launch research centers to study housing and community development challenges and opportunities in underserved areas Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $5 million to Winston-Salem State University and Tennessee State University to establish Research Centers of Excellence. HUD’s Research Centers of Excellence…
CDFI Fund: FY 2024 CDFI Program and NACA Program Financial Assistance Awards Announced
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) today awarded 357 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) with $408.2 million in Financial Assistance (FA) awards to provide financial services and products for low-income and underserved individuals and communities across America. The awards were made through the fiscal year (FY) 2024 funding…
SBA: Application Window Opens for Lenders to Fill Gaps in Credit Markets
Nonbank Licenses Will Enable SBA Loan Guarantees to Spur Lending in Underserved Communities and for Green Investments Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s more than 34 million small businesses, opened applications for non-traditional lenders to secure an SBA Small Business Lending Company (SBLC)…
SBA: Small Dollar Lending and Lending To Underserved Entrepreneurs Continues to Rise as Record 19 Million New Business Applications Filed Since 2021
Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s more than 34 million small businesses, announced the Biden-Harris Administration has tripled SBA lending to Black-owned businesses while doubling small-dollar lending and lending to Latino- and women-owned small businesses. The new data comes as the United States reaches a record 19 million(Link…
Agencies Release List of Distressed or Underserved Nonmetropolitan Middle-Income Geographies
Federal bank regulatory agencies today released the 2024 list of distressed or underserved nonmetropolitan middle-income geographies where certain bank activities are eligible for Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) credit. Under the CRA, the agencies assess a bank’s record of meeting the credit needs of its entire community, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with safe and…
FHFA: Public Input Sought on Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s Proposed Duty to Serve Underserved Market Plans for 2025-2027
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today issued a request for input (RFI) on the proposed 2025-2027 Underserved Markets Plans (Plans) submitted by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) under the Duty to Serve (DTS) program. The proposed Plans cover the period from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027. “Providing sustainable liquidity for affordable housing…
OCC: Project REACh 2.0 Launched
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today announced the launch of REACh 2.0 at its Project REACh Financial Inclusion Summit. Project REACh, the Roundtable for Economic Access and Change, brings together leaders from the banking industry, national civil rights organizations, business, and technology to identify and reduce barriers that prevent full, equal,…
OCC: National Financial Capability Month Celebrated in April
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) supports National Financial Capability Month in April, and encourages national banks and federal savings associations (collectively, banks) to support this annual commemoration by recommitting their focus on improving the financial capability and financial health of their customers. Banks can promote financial capability through high-quality financial literacy…
CDFI Fund: CDFI Bond Guarantee Program Application Period for FY 2024 Now Open
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) today opened the fiscal year (FY) 2024 application period for the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. A total of up to $500 million in bond guarantee authority is available for Eligible Community Development Financial Institutions (Eligible CDFIs) in FY 2024. Through the CDFI…