While Juneteenth is the youngest U.S. federal holiday after it became formally recognized in a law enacted last year, it has decades of significance—with June 19, 1865, recognized as the end of slavery in the United States.

A new educational webinar series hosted by ICBA and Jackson Lewis starts tomorrow. This series will speak to community bank considerations around diversity and provide greater insights into both the why and how behind diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

As National Crisis Preparedness Month draws to a close, ICBA continues to reinforce the importance of proper preparedness to combat unforeseen natural disasters and keep local banks and communities operational.

Economic security rapidly evaporated for many households in 2020 as the coronavirus imposed an indelible mark on our nation’s economy. While the consequences were unprecedented, data continues to affirm the vitality of community banks.

With so many unknowns, budgeting is difficult, but there is a bright spot. With uncertainty comes the opportunity to look at what we do in a different light using the experiences of the pandemic to explore new ideas.

Second-quarter FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile statistics are not just evidence of community banks’ resilience in times of economic hardship, but an attestation to the resilience of their commitment to Main Street as a guarantor of essential financial services.

While policymakers continue debating new approaches to mitigate the coronavirus' ongoing impact, one issue has attracted newfound scrutiny as the pandemic’s economic consequences unfold: How will these financial pressures affect the U.S. housing market?

Well before coronavirus saturated our headlines, community banks accounted for 60 percent of small-business lending, served 58 percent of small businesses nationwide as their primary lender, and lent over $1.5 trillion to small businesses in 2019 alone.

Crisis response is not a new concept for community banks that have weathered economic recessions, natural and man-made disasters, and previous pandemics—all of which presented unique challenges that tested the industry’s resiliency and provided valuable lessons

Literally overnight — the night of March 26 — community banks answered the call to support small businesses fighting to survive COVID-19. In that one day, 3,700 institutions became new Small Business Administration lenders to support the Paycheck Protection Program.

Community banks had to beef up what they had in place and get creative to adequately address how to serve their customers amid a shutdown. And as the pandemic’s reach expanded, so too did the need to highlight the utility and usage of their digital offerings.

Community banks have always demonstrated courage and commitment in helping customers thrive in good times and in adversity. As bankers well know, with every crisis comes opportunity — and harnessing opportunities requires preparation.

When times get tough, the tough get going. As cliched as that may be, nothing could be truer as we look to community banks’ response to the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program.

The Senate just passed bipartisan legislation that includes an additional $310 billion to restart the Paycheck Protection Program and an ICBA-advocated minimum of $60 billion set aside for community banks.

The day-to-day workings of a bank do not cease simply because so many new challenges — thanks to COVID-19 — are coming our way. In fact, with customers more concerned than ever about their financial situations, community banks can and have been a primary source of assurance and comfort.

The Treasury Department and Small Business Administration just answered key ICBA questions about the Paycheck Protection Program relating to bank directors, partnerships, self-employed borrowers, and more.

In the face of a global pandemic, it’s easy to be drawn into a doom-and-gloom mindset that focuses only on the negative. At ICBA, we know that out of the darkness light emerges, with community banks like you serving as bright spots.

The Treasury Department and Small Business Administration just answered key questions ICBA has been asking about the Paycheck Protection Program. Here's a summary of the updates.

The SBA launched a long-awaited portal while ICBA Chairman Noah Wilcox and ICBA Vice Chairman Brad Bolton participated in a virtual White House meeting with President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza to discuss the status of the PPP.

We know today's flawed launch of the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program has been filled with high tensions and desperate attempts by community bankers to meet the needs of their small-business customers.