Erica Plasencia

Sr. Program Manager for Economic Equity

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Rawan Elhalaby

Director for Economic Equity

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For decades, the financial industry legally denied communities of color access to credit, capital, and pathways to wealth-building through homeownership through redlining. While redlining was officially outlawed in 1977, the impacts persist to this day.

As the federal government weakens economic safeguards that provide critical consumer protections and the racial wealth gap continues to grow, banks have a critical role to play in repairing harm, rebuilding trust, and directing investment where it is needed most.

The Greenlined Banking Standards – developed in partnership with banks, community-based organizations, and advocates – offer a clear, practical framework for banks to play a role in advancing economic equity through their practices, products, investments, and partnerships.

These standards translate The Greenlining Institute’s 30 years of experience partnering with communities of color and the financial services industry to combat the impacts of redlining into a roadmap for community-centered banking. 

The Greenlined Banking Standards focus on seven key areas where banks can advance economic equity through their practices:

  • Small Business
    • Community Development Financial Institution Partnerships
    • Supplier Diversity
    • Small Business Special Purpose Credit Programs
  • Home Lending
    • Home Mortgage Special Purpose Credit Program
  • Equity-Centered Practices
    • Equity-Centered Leadership Strategy
    • Equity-Centered Infrastructure
    • Staff, Leadership, and Board Diversity 
  • Community Engagement
    • CRA Staff Capacity
    • Data Collection & Analysis
    • Community Advisory Board
    • Language Access & Outreach
  • Community Development
    • Transformative Pre-Development & Gap Financing
    • Value Preceding Lending
  • Climate Finance
    • Disaster Preparedness & Resilience Investments
    • Climate Risk Disclosure & Governance
  • Consumer-Centered Products
    • Affordable Short-Term Loan
    • No Overdraft & Non-Sufficient Funds Account

Rawan Elhalaby

Director for Economic Equity

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