Census Bureau: New Community Resilience Data Equity Estimates Released
The U.S. Census Bureau today released the CRE for Equity data tool. In an easy-to-use dashboard, this new tool pulls together existing data to measure social vulnerability and equity gaps at the community level while providing context about the varying needs of different communities. To measure these concepts, in the summer of 2020, the Census Bureau launched…
SBA: $5.4 Million in Prizes Announced to Nearly 100 Awardees to Support Inclusive Entrepreneurship in the Innovation Ecosystem
Today, U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced 84 winners for the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) and eight winners for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Catalyst competition, a new component aimed at spurring investment in underrepresented communities within the innovation economy at scale, receiving a combined total of $5.4 million in awards. This important…
SBA: Awardees Announced for Two New Women’s Business Centers in Puerto Rico
The New Centers Will Increase Opportunities and Recovery Solutions for Women Entrepreneurs throughout the Island The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today the launch of two Women’s Business Centers (WBC) in Puerto Rico, hosted by Ana G. Méndez University, Gurabo Campus (UAGM-Gurabo), and Friends of Puerto Rico. The new centers will carry out the mission of helping…
FHFA: Equitable Housing Finance Plans for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Announced
Public input requested on how Enterprises can sustainably advance equitable housing finance Today, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is announcing that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will submit Equitable Housing Finance Plans to FHFA by the end of 2021. The Enterprises will update these plans annually. The plans will identify and address…
CFPB: New Proposed Rule Issued on Small Business Lending Data Collection Under Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B)
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is publishing for public comment a proposed rule amending Regulation B to implement changes to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) made by section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). Consistent with section 1071, the Bureau is proposing to require covered…
HUD and FHFA Collaboration to Advance Fair Housing and Fair Lending Enforcement Announced
Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) (collectively, the Agencies) entered into a first-of-its-kind collaborative agreement regarding fair housing and fair lending coordination. Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the two Agencies will focus on enhancing their enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, which HUD…
FDIC: Minority Depository Institutions Subcommittee to Meet Virtually July 21st
July 21st virtual meeting to address issues important to minority banks The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced the agency’s Minority Depository Institutions (MDI) Subcommittee to the Advisory Committee on Community Banking will hold an open meeting at 1 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. During the public portion of the meeting, subcommittee members…
OCC: First Anniversary of Project REACh Celebrated
Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael J. Hsu today marked the first anniversary of Project REACh by hosting participants to celebrate the project’s accomplishments and to challenge them to set their sights even higher over the next two years. “Project REACh has generated a great deal of excitement and made great strides in its first…
ABA: Statement on Bank On Account Milestone
“We are thrilled to learn that more than 100 financial institutions, including a growing number of America’s banks, now offer low-cost Bank On certified accounts. We congratulate the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, which created the Bank On standards, for this important achievement and for the CFE Fund’s ongoing efforts to reduce the number of…
SBA: Extension of $100 Million Grant “Community Navigator Pilot” Program Proposals to July 23, 2021 Announced
Grant program to strengthen outreach to businesses in underserved communities enacted through the American Rescue Plan Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced the extended application date for its new Community Navigator Pilot Program. SBA will now accept proposal submissions through July 23, 2021, and anticipates making award decisions by September 2021. This new initiative, established…