#63: CDFI Partnership with Joshua Kummer

This episode of the CRA Podcast highlights the community development work of Joshua Kummer of Bankers Trust. Joshua is the bank’s CRA and Fair Banking Officer overseeing the bank’s Fair Banking Program, which includes CRA, Fair Lending, HMDA, UDAAP, and Complaint Management. You will find Joshua to be very passionate about this work and this episode shares the high impact community development partnerships he has forged within his community. Not only does he have the heart for this work; you will also hear how his passion and drive has helped Bankers Trust sustain an Outstanding Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rating!Here are the programs that are referenced within the episode:Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Involvement Iowa Community CapitalSolidarity Microfinance is a non-profit program of Iowa Community Capital to create economicopportunities through small business loans, training and support, and savings services.ICC's Solidarity Microfinance program provides small loans of $500 to $8000, savings services, and financial learning opportunities for eligible low-income entrepreneurs in the Greater Des Moines Metro Area. The Solidarity Microfinance program uses Grameen peer-group lending methodology and targets women entrepreneurs from diverse new resident cultures. Neighborhood Finance CorporationNFC provides unique lending programs and other services to facilitate neighborhood revitalization in Polk County and Cedar Rapids, Iowa through partnerships with residents, governments, community-based organizations, lending institutions and the business community. For more information on our programs and services, please visit our Loan Programs page. NFC is a proud Chartered Member of NeighborWorks America. TrellisTrellis (originally started as Neighborhood Housing Services of Phoenix) was formed in 1975 with help from the City of Phoenix and NeighborWorks America. NeighborWorks America is a national nonprofit organization, federally funded by appropriations from Congress that provide financial support, technical assistance and training for community-based revitalization efforts in all 50 states.Access to homeownership is for all of us. Individuals and families become stable and more economically secure; neighborhoods become vital, active communities; and cities gain jobs and tax revenues. It’s an investment with positive returns for everyone.Other Community Involvement InitiativesHOME, Inc.HOME, Inc. is the oldest private nonprofit housing organization in Des Moines. Our mission is to meet individuals and families where they are in their housing journey. We surround our clients with compassion, support, and education so they feel empowered to make a safe, stable home for themselves or their family. To accomplish our mission, we…– Provide counseling and education to help people become successful homeowners, landlords, and tenants.– Develop, rehab, and build affordable housing units.– Help families through counseling and education to become homeowners.Newtown Community Development CorporationOur mission is to help people improve their financial well-being while strengthening communities through education, counseling, coaching, and the development and stewardship of permanently affordable homes.Newtown Community Development Corporation (Newtown) is a Tempe-based nonprofit founded in 1994. Newtown is recognized throughout the Phoenix Metro Area as a leading provider of homebuyer education, homeownership counseling, credit counseling, financial coaching, financial literacy education, and down-payment assistance. Newtown is a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency and adheres to national industry standards for homeownership education and counseling. Services are provided in English and Spanish.Newtown also operates an innovative Community Land Trust, which builds and renovates permanently affordable houses, providing successful homeownership opportunities for generations of lower-income families. Created in 2001, Newtown’s Community Land Trust is the largest in Arizona with homes across Maricopa County.BIOJoshua Kummer is the AVP, Fair Banking Officer at Bankers Trust; Iowa’s largest privately owned bank headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa with assets totaling over $6 billion. The bank operates branches in Central Iowa, Cedar Rapids, IA, and Phoenix, AZ, as has offices in Omaha, NE and Sioux Falls, SD. Joshua started his banking career over 11 years ago as a part-time teller while attending college. Since then, he’s held various positions including Personal Banker, Sales & Service Manager, Branch Manager, CRA Officer and now Fair Banking Officer. He holds two compliance-related certifications: Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer (CCBCO) and Fair Lending Expert (FLE). He is also involved in his community and currently sits on the Neighborhood Finance Corporation Board of Directors, Greater DesMoines Habitat for Humanity Access to Credit Committee, Iowa Bankers Association DEI Committee and Special Olympics Iowa Fundraising Committee. Joshua has a passion for ensuring customers receive fair and equitable treatment while banking with Bankers Trust and advocates for those with limited financialresources. Bankers Trust: As Iowa’s largest privately owned bank, Bankers Trust serves the personal and business banking, lending and wealth management needs of our community.Bankers Trust Core Value: CommunityWe will strive to be the best corporate citizen by supporting diverse community organizations, both financially and through employee volunteerism. We invest in the community by nurturing and encouraging growth, stability and continued success.