FDIC: Community Affairs Program


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Community Affairs Program

Bringing Communities and Financial Institutions Together

What is the FDIC?

Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 1933 to restore public confidence in the nation's banking system. The FDIC insures deposits at financial institutions and it promotes the safety and soundness of these institutions by identifying, monitoring and addressing risks to which they are exposed. The FDIC receives no federal tax dollars – insured financial institutions fund its operations.

What is the Community Affairs Program?

The Community Affairs Program function is to support the FDIC’s mission to promote stability and public confidence in the nation’s financial system by:

  1. encouraging financial institutions to invest in and meet the credit needs of the communities they serve and

  2. promoting laws, regulations, policies and programs that protect and inform consumers.

What is the role of the Community Affairs Program?

The Community Affairs staff assist financial institutions in developing strategies that are responsive to the credit, service and investment needs of their communities by:

  • Fostering initiatives that create positive banking relationships between consumers and financial institutions and move unbanked and underserved consumers into mainstream banking relationships;

  • Promoting community development partnerships and access to capital in historically underserved markets;

  • Working with financial institutions, national and regional, and local organizations by collaborating on community development and asset-building projects;

  • Developing products and presenting training programs on financial education.

  • Serving as subject matter experts at industry and community conferences and meetings;

  • Providing technical assistance, as necessary, to financial institutions and compliance staff;

  • Producing articles, publications and other materials on current and emerging issues and,

  • Increasing knowledge of Community Reinvestment Act regulations and fair lending laws.

How am I affected by the Community Reinvestment Act and fair lending laws?

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) encourages federally insured banks and thrifts to meet the credit needs of their entire community, including low– and moderate-income residents.

The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) and its implementing regulation, provide the public with loan data that can be used to assist in: determining whether financial institutions are serving the housing needs of their communities; distributing public-sector investments to attract private investment to areas where it is needed, and identifying possible discriminatory lending patterns.

The Fair Housing Act  (FHA) prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or handicap, in all aspects of residential real estate transactions, including, but not limited to the sale, retail, appraisal, and financing of dwellings.

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act  (ECOA) prohibits discrimination in any aspect of a consumer or commercial credit transaction based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, receipt of income from any public assistance program or the exercise, in good faith, of any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act.

Where can I obtain more information?

For further information about the FDIC Community Affairs Program, please visit our website at http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/community/ or contact your local Community Affairs Office.

To learn more about FDIC's research and initiatives related to consumer protection, the underserved and other community development issues, please visit: http://www.economicinclusion.gov

Additional, non-FDIC, Community Affairs Resources

Last Updated 12/27/2010 communityaffairs@fdic.gov