Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Invests $5 Million in Minority Banks

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is giving $1 million apiece to five African American-owned banks in an effort to create more lending opportunities for people and businesses in minority communities.

The beneficiaries of the investment are the Industrial Bank in Washington, D.C.; Seaway Bank and Trust in Chicago; Liberty Bank and Trust in New Orleans; City National Bank in Newark, N.J.; and M&F Bancorp (MFBP) in Durham, N.C., according to a Sunday report in the Washington Post confirmed by the CBCF. The CBCF is purchasing $1 million in certificates of deposit from each of the banks and then depositing the certificates with the institutions. 

The banks were chosen for their geographical diversity and proven commitment to community development, according to the CBCF’s September press release

"Community development banks have helped countless individuals and organizations to achieve their goals and dreams," CBCF President and Chief Executive A. Shuanise Washington said in the release. "We want to support these financial institutions, so that they can continue to support our communities."

The capital comes at a time when many minority-owned banks are fighting to stay afloat, according to the release. Dragged down by the recession, stiff regulatory requirements and competition from larger banks, the release says, many have shuttered their doors in recent years. The number of African-American-owned banks in the U.S. plummeted from 54 to 21 between 1994 and 2013, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

"Minority banks play an important role in the economic empowerment of minority communities," Washington said in the release. "We hope that this investment will spur much-needed economic development, provide critical support to small businesses and inspire others to invest in minority banks-a critical lifeline for comprehensive economic recovery in black communities.”

The foundation has already contributed 80% of the $5 million to the banks and will distribute the remaining 20% in the first quarter of 2014, according to the Washington Post.

 

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