Providing Pathways to Financial Prosperity
The Foundation's Mission:
To ensure underserved communities have fair access to transformative financial education, services, and resources. We strive to uplift communities, empower individuals, forge a future where economic equity reigns, and eradicate the racial wealth divide. To accomplish this, we support the work of Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) through our four strategic pillars.
Financial Wellness
Develops innovative financial education programs and services that benefit households, small businesses, and nonprofits.
Entrepreneurship & Small Business
Provide capacity-building services and facilitate access to capital for minority-owned and women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs to enable them to compete effectively and foster a culture of entrepreneurship.
Research & Impact
Publish cutting edge sector research and use insights to inform the development of responsive products, services, policies, and solutions to advocate for marginalized communities and decrease the racial wealth gap.
Collaboration & Capacity
Serve as a central point for collaboration and capacity building. By working together and sharing resources, MDIs can improve operational efficiencies, access larger pools of capital and have a greater voice in shaping policy.
Strategic Initiatives
Our Money Matters
The Foundation believes that financial wellness should be accessible to everyone, including those who have been historically excluded and underserved. We know that being smart with your money makes perfect sense, which is why we launched Our Money Matters (OMM).
Thanks to the generous support of the Wells Fargo Foundation, OMM is a free resource available to anyone who wants to become financially empowered. With our comprehensive suite of tools and services, you can learn how to budget, improve your credit score, qualify for a mortgage, invest in your future, and so much more.
MDI ConnectTech
Digitization Program for Minority Banks
The MDI ConnectTech Digitization Program is a bold and innovative initiative to bring the latest technology solutions to MDIs. In collaboration with the Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) and with support from Citi Foundation's Community Finance Innovation Fund, MDI ConnectTech assists minority-owned and -operated banks in their journey towards modernization and digital transformation. This program will enable MDIs to develop and integrate technology solutions to streamline operations, expand their customer base, and enhance engagement through digital channels. Most importantly, it will create a more even playing field so MDIs can compete in an increasingly digital world.
Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) substantially impact the community, contributing to minority homeownership and small business while providing an economic lifeline of financial support to the unbanked or underbanked. The National Bankers Association Foundation elevates the impact of minority-owned banks in the communities they serve and eliminating the racial wealth gap.
— Robert E. James II, Chairman, National Bankers Association Foundation
Capacity and Collaboration
MinBanc Foundation, Inc.
MinBanc Foundation offers reimbursements for employees of minority-owned and -operated banks looking for development training and industry events.
MDI Sustainable Finance
MDIs play a crucial role in serving the financial needs of underserved populations who still confront racial and social inequities.
But now, these same communities also face the perilous threat of climate change and a growing need for sustainable finance.
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The Foundation and MDIs understand that many communities and small businesses, especially those served by MDIs, remain severely underprepared to deal with climate change's effects.
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Although many climate and environmental experts believe the point has passed to remedy the most severe impacts, there is still time for adaptation, mitigation, and resilience actions that individuals, small businesses, communities, and financial institutions can take.
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Through the [MDI] Sustainable Finance Program, MDIs are uniquely positioned to deploy capital, offer flexible and innovative lending products, and impact investing opportunities to channel socially responsible investments towards climate change.
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Download our guide for Minority Lending Institutions, where we offer tools and resources and highlight organizations that can serve as key allies and knowledge-sharers.
3.7 times more likely
People of color are
than white people to live in places with substantial air pollution* and are also more exposed to heat stress and extreme weather events.
– Source: *American Lung Association, 2023, EPA 2021
​“MDI branches are more likely to be located in climate-vulnerable counties,* and 60% of MDI lending postcodes from a 2021 representative sample have estimated climate risk above the national median.”
– Source: *Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, 2022) National Bankers Association Foundation
Partners
Through the generous support of corporate and philanthropic funders, the National Bankers Association Foundation is helping to close the wealth and capital gap in households, small businesses, and communities across the country.
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