STARTING A COMMUNITY BANK?

LET US HELP.

The process of starting a community bank is one full of challenges and victories. We’re here to accompany you on your journey and to provide help along the way.

ICBA membership

During formation

During the organization period, your bank is eligible for complimentary membership until your community bank opens its doors for business. While you build your bank you can access the following ICBA benefits:

Online Education ($650 Annual Value)
Bank Director Program Subscription ($795 Annual Value)
Compliance Vault Access ($599 Annual Value)
Access to all Preferred Service Provider discounts and programs
ICBA Marketing and Communications Toolkit
ICBA Social Media Monitor ($2,000 Annual Value)
Bank Cyber and Data Security Guide
Free attendance to the ICBA Capital Summit

When your doors open

For the first full three years of operation, your community bank will be eligible for complimentary ICBA membership. After three years, we’ll be excited to welcome you to the ICBA family as a full dues-paying organization.

In addition to the standard benefits detailed above, new banks can enjoy the following:

ICBA LIVE registration (One-time complimentary for banker and guest.)
Bond Academy registration (One-time complimentary)
LEAD FWD Summit registration (One-time complimentary, $795 Value)
Education voucher ($650 Value)
Webinar Pass ($1,495 Value)
ICBA CRA Solutions, CRA Collaborative Peer Group ($1,000 Value)
Branch listing on Bank Locator map

ICBA Policy Resolution:
De Novo Community Bank Formation

Position

ICBA supports a flexible and tailored supervisory policy with regard to de novo banking applicants. Capital standards, exam schedules, and other supervisory requirements should be based on the pro forma risk profile and business plan of the applicant and not on a standard policy that applies to all de novo bank applicants.
ICBA commends the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for its recent initiatives concerning de novo banking. These include the agency’s Request for Information on the Deposit Insurance Application Process and convening a roundtable discussion with relevant trade associations. The FDIC plans to hold six additional outreach meetings around the country.
The FDIC must streamline its application process for de novo banks.
ICBA believes that only the FDIC should approve deposit insurance applications. That authority should not rest with the chartering authority or the de novo bank’s primary regulator.

Background

The FDIC approved 8 de novo banks in 2021. This is still not close to the average number of de novo banks approved annually by the FDIC before that time.

Even in the depths of the savings and loan crisis in the 1980s, when 1,800 banks and savings institutions failed, an average of 196 de novo banks and savings institutions were formed annually from 1984 through 1992.

ICBA supports a flexible and tailored supervisory policy with regard to de novo banking applicants that is based on the pro forma risk profile and business plan of the applicant. There should be no arbitrary requirement for “upfront” capitalization.

Capitalization should be based on the risk profile of the applicant. ICBA won a victory when, in response to our advocacy, the FDIC changed its de novo bank policy so that applicants now must provide upfront capitalization sufficient to maintain a Tier 1 leverage capital ratio of at least eight percent for the first three years of operation, rather than the first seven years, as had previously been required.

Also, the business plan submitted with the application may cover the first three years of operation, rather than the first seven years. However, the FDIC must do more to streamline the de novo bank application process.

Only the FDIC should have the authority to ultimately approve a deposit insurance application. This authority should not be given to either the chartering authority or the primary regulator of the de novo bank. The FDIC can best evaluate the risks to the Deposit Insurance Fund from the approval a de novo bank application.

Staff Contact: Chris Cole