Main Street Matters Blog

More often than not, we don’t stop to recognize the good things that happen to our bank, employees, customers or communities. They tend to get lost in our day-to-day operations. So, why not get the year off to a positive start by embedding celebration into your culture? test

The Small Business Administration just announced that to ensure access for the smallest lenders and their small-business customers, its systems will only accept Paycheck Protection Program loans from lenders with less than $1 billion in assets between 4 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. (Eastern time) today, Wednesday, April 29

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.

Following this morning's relaunch of the Paycheck Protection Program, ICBA is hearing the many problems community bankers are having accessing Small Business Administration systems to process their PPP applications.

ICBA has confirmed that any Paycheck Protection Program applications received by lenders prior to today can be processed based on guidance in effect prior to today, April 25, 2020.

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 Treasury Department and Small Business Administration have released additional resources for Paycheck Protection Program lenders.

The House just passed bipartisan legislation to restart the Paycheck Protection Program and dedicate funding exclusively to community banks, sending it to President Trump to be signed into law.

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.