From Concept to Action – Creating a Community Development Project that Aligns with the Community Reinvestment Act

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia presented a training session about the Leveraging Lending and Investments for Nonprofits and Communities (LINC) program. This program from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia is designed to build nonprofit knowledge and capacity on the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and to connect nonprofits with CRA-eligible projects to interested community banks. The goal of this program is to provide a supportive environment to cultivate knowledge and partnerships for nonprofits and community banks in our region.

View a video recording of this event:

LINC is a wonderful opportunity for your organization to build capacity in a new and unique way. We all know the funding challenges that we face in the current environment, so we encourage you to consider participating in this innovative training. This 2021 round of LINC will be accepting applications from nonprofits that have a focus on racial equity. Participation by Black, indigenous, or person of color (BIPOC)–led nonprofits is strongly encouraged. Attending the training is a prerequisite to applying for the program.

The Program

LINC consists of a training component, an organizational application, and a virtual match event.

Training: From Concept to Action – Creating a Community Development Project that Aligns with the Community Reinvestment Act

Interested participants from community-based organizations are asked to participate in a training designed to enhance their knowledge on the CRA’s application and to build a framework for discussing their work in the context of the CRA. This training will provide a high-level overview of the CRA and the steps needed to create an effective partnership. They also address documentation, planning, and best practices to frame a community development project under the CRA.

Application Process

Interested nonprofits that complete the training are invited to submit an application and organizational profile to LINC. Applications will open on February 5, 2021.

Virtual Match Event

The virtual match event in May will invite up to 10 nonprofits to give an eight-minute structured presentation that will provide an overview of the organization and project for partnership. Additional capacity beyond those 10 nonprofits will be assessed based on timing and need.