Bank Community Engagement: Five imperatives for bank leaders

By Lindsay Torrico

2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the ABA Foundation.

For 100 years, the ABA Foundation has been at the heart of advancing bank service and investment in communities — empowering the banking industry to create transformational economic change.

Established in 1925, the Foundation has played an historic role in shaping the industry’s most impactful programs and services to improve financial capability across the country. Our “Teach Children to Save,” “Get Smart about Credit,” “Safe Banking for Seniors” and “Lights Camera Save” programs — and most recently “Unlocking Homeownership” — have engaged thousands of banks and reached millions of people across the country.

As we position ourselves for the next century of impact, here are five imperatives for how we get the next 100 years right. We are here to help you create a community impact roadmap that integrates these five imperatives

As we celebrate our centennial over the course of this year, we want to ensure that it’s not just a moment for reflection and recognition of our past collective accomplishments.

This is an inflection point — a new chapter to advance financial health across our communities.

As we position ourselves for the next century of impact, here are five imperatives for how we get the next 100 years right:

1. Let’s help people thrive financially, not just survive. Living paycheck to paycheck has become the norm for far too many families. According to the latest Financial Health Network Report, 57% of consumers say finances are the top cause of stress in their lives. Underlying these challenges is a low level of financial literacy. In the last century, the financial services industry has become a leader in building financial literacy programs and services for customers and communities. As we look to the next century, we must ensure that these programs go beyond the basics of money management and empower people to achieve long-term financial stability and wealth building.

2. Connect social impact with business performance. Every banker recognizes the value of serving and supporting their local community. Strong communities lead to strong banks, and vice versa. But far too often, the philanthropic arm of the bank is siloed from the business of banking. To be sustainable, social impact work must evolve from traditional programs and services for underserved communities to finding a win-win proposition for both banks and communities. As the U.S. population becomes more racially and ethnically diverse, we must shift our thinking from serving low-to-moderate communities to partnering with these communities in our products and services, bringing them in as loyal customers and intentionally recruiting them for careers in banking.

3. Reimagine volunteerism in a post-pandemic world. As volunteer rates decline nationwide and workplaces navigate a hybrid work environment, many banks are struggling to design volunteer programs that effectively engage employees, make a positive impact, and are aligned with Community Reinvestment Act goals. As an industry, we must rethink what employee volunteerism looks like in the modern-day workplace, understand the values and interests of our employees and craft volunteer opportunities that both enhance employee culture and make a real, tangible difference in the communities we serve.

4. Harness the power of AI in advancing economic opportunity. The financial services sector is a leader in responsibly incorporating AI-enabled products that create efficiencies and provide a high-tech experience for customers. In a similar fashion, we must identify the best approaches to leverage AI as a force for good. If we invest in the right technology and engage our communities in designing a responsible framework, AI has the power to increase access to banking, credit, microloans, small business lending and homeownership for millions of people.

5. Take a consumer-centered approach to fight fraud. The Federal Trade Commission reports that fraud losses in the U.S. topped $23.7 billion in 2023. As we protect consumers and educate them about fraud risks, we recognize the importance of helping banks cultivate a culture of empathy and sensitivity to detect and provide solutions to the challenges that older customers and other vulnerable populations face. Banks are leaning into developing fraud detection tools and coordinating with law enforcement, but there is more we can do to ensure that we understand the barriers our customers face and strengthen trust in our institutions. In the century ahead, the ABA Foundation remains deeply committed to supporting America’s banks in fueling stronger, more resilient communities.

We are accelerating our impact and launching bold, new strategies that tackle financial insecurity, housing affordability and the urgent threat of elder financial fraud.

We are here to help you create a community impact roadmap that integrates these five imperatives. We are your resource in navigating the complexities, offering spaces to connect with your peers, and providing opportunities to build on our collective strength.

Together, we can set a strong foundation for the next century of transformation and lasting community change.

Lindsay Torrico is executive director of the ABA Foundation. The foundation will hold a free informational webinar about its programs on Jan. 30.