The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) and UMB Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: UMBF) announced today UMB’s plan to contribute approximately $5 billion in loans, investments and other financial support to provide greater economic opportunity for small businesses, low- and moderate-income (LMI) families and communities, and people and communities of color. The bank’s five-year Community Benefits Plan was developed in conjunction with UMB’s acquisition of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (Heartland Financial) and will be in effect from 2026 through 2030.
“This $5 billion commitment is a big win for historically marginalized communities across UMB’s operating footprint,” said Jesse Van Tol, President and CEO of NCRC. “UMB’s staff were eager, curious and thoughtful partners in the conversations with our members that shaped this plan. Thanks to that local knowledge, this isn’t just money — it’s smart money, primed to route efficiently to the highest-impact activities that community leaders helped UMB identify, with ongoing relationships and conversations to ensure we maximize outcomes over the duration of the plan.”
Since 2016, NCRC has facilitated more than 30 community benefits plans with bank groups that committed nearly $600 billion for mortgage, small business and community development lending, investments and philanthropy in LMI and under-resourced communities.
This plan represents significant investments in communities the bank currently serves as well as those it has expanded into through its acquisition of Heartland Financial.
“For more than a century, UMB has maintained a commitment to the prosperity of each community we serve,” said Mariner Kemper, chairman and chief executive officer, UMB Financial Corporation. “More than ever, regional financial institutions are critical contributors to local economies and have become increasingly important in supporting community growth and stability. This plan is an extension and expansion of work that is an ingrained part of our business, and we’re excited to continue our service and partnership across our now 13-state footprint.”
To inform this plan, members of UMB’s leadership team met with NCRC and its member organizations in the bank’s markets to identify pressing needs and consider how UMB can help increase the flow of capital to historically underserved communities. UMB will continue to work with NCRC and its members, other community groups and public officials to address these existing and emerging needs in the future.
“UMB’s plan invests directly in entrepreneurs and the organizations serving our most underserved communities,” said Gabriel Munoz, Founder and Executive Director of The Toolbox: Small Business Resource Center in Kansas City, which co-signed the plan. “By expanding small business lending and supporting organizations led by people of color, they are opening doors for more entrepreneurs to succeed, no matter their starting point. This is the kind of commitment that fuels small business growth and drives lasting economic change.”
“The Metro Milwaukee Fair Housing Council is excited that UMB’s commitment will leverage their merger to provide increased financial services to everyone within their footprint,” said Bethany Sanchez, Senior Administrator of Metro Milwaukee Fair Housing Council, another co-signer of the new plan. “We look forward to helping the bank connect with people of color who can access UMB’s new Special Purpose Credit Program, facilitating the homeownership dreams of those who had previously been shut out of the homeowner market.”
Community benefits plans are a cornerstone of NCRC’s work to increase the flow of private capital into underserved and under-resourced communities and communities of color to end the racial wealth divide. The agreements depend on dialogue between banks, community organizations and local reinvestment coalitions to identify local priorities and strategies to address them. This dialogue continues after an agreement is established through community councils set up to advise on implementation and to monitor bank performance.
UMB’s plan addresses key areas of need identified during its meetings with community leaders, including:
- Mortgage Lending: UMB commits to lending equitably throughout its footprint, ensuring credit is flowing to underserved borrowers and neighborhoods with subgoals for mortgage lending to borrowers with low and moderate incomes, and to minority borrowers and neighborhoods. This represents more than $250 million in mortgage lending across the bank’s footprint for loans to low- and moderate-income (LMI) people and in majority-minority communities. This also includes expanding its down-payment assistance program and exploring other products and avenues to meet the mortgage needs of its communities.
- Small Business Lending and Partnerships: UMB is also committing more than $750 million in small business loans across the bank’s footprint with a focus on very small businesses in underserved communities. The bank will also continue existing and build new partnerships that can assist small businesses.
- Community Development Loans & Investments: During the next five years, UMB is committed to providing $3.9 billion in community development loans and investments with prioritization on organizations with minority leadership, support for small businesses, and affordable housing. There is a critical shortage of affordable housing supply in markets across UMB’s footprint. To support the acquisition and preservation of deeply affordable housing, UMB will continue to be an active provider of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit lending and investments.
- Financial Support and Inclusion: UMB is committing nearly $27 million in philanthropic giving to support organizations across the bank’s footprint, with a focus on organizations that serve LMI people and communities. Through its philanthropic giving, UMB will seek to expand relationships with current non-profit partners and build new relationships, while also encouraging associate engagement, giving and volunteerism to support the community. Finally, UMB will offer a Bank On-certified product to expand access.
The plan also provides a framework for continued feedback and collaboration between UMB, NCRC and NCRC members. The feedback and collaboration will help ensure that the communities’ needs are considered and addressed.
NCRC Member Quotes
“This plan strengthens neighborhoods by investing in affordable housing, expanding smart lending, and providing accessible financial tools—delivering real impact where it’s needed most,” said Nicole Newhouse, Executive Director of the Arizona Housing Coalition.
“Habitat for Humanity of Dubuque, Iowa, leads the push for building quality, affordable workforce housing in our community,” said Hilary Dalton, Executive Director of Dubuque and Jackson Counties Habitat for Humanity. “UMB shares our vision of a world where all have shelter.”
“Southern Dallas Progress CDC is proud to support the Community Benefits Plan in partnership with UMB Bank. The promise they’re making is more than financial—it’s a commitment to helping families achieve the dream of homeownership,” said James McGee, President of Southern Dallas Progress Development Corporation. “That dream strengthens our economy, uplifts our communities, and revitalizes our neighborhoods for generations to come.”
“United South Broadway Corporation looks forward to working with UMB to improve housing stability in our state,” said Diana Dorn-Jones, Executive Director of United South Broadway Corporation in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“ELROBI is excited to be a part of NCRC and its commitment to community empowerment,” said Reggie Dial, Executive Director of the East Lubbock Resident Owned Business Initiative.
“We look forward to collaborating with UMB to meet their community development goals in North Texas,” said Denise Huginnie, CEO of Alliance for Community Impact in McKinney, Texas.
Organizations Supporting UMB’s Community Benefits Plan
- African American Trade Association
- Arizona Housing Coalition
- Habitat for Humanity of Dubuque and Jackson Counties
- Alternative Capital for Community Impact (AltCap)
- Local First Arizona
- Community Action Agency of St. Louis County, Inc. (CAASTLC)
- The TOOLBOX: Small Business Resource Center
- Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City
- Community Enterprise Development Services (CEDS Finance)
- Moorish Science Temple of America, Temple No. 5
- Community Housing of Wyandotte County, Inc. (CHWS, Inc.)
- Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council
- Southern Dallas Progress Community Development Corporation
- St. Louis Equal Housing and Reinvestment Alliance (EHRA)
- Small Business Empowerment Center
- Consumers Council of Missouri
- Prestamos CDFI, LLC
- Rise Economy
- Cincinnati Neighborhood Development Collaborative
- Arizona Native Asset Coalition (ANAC)
- NEWSED Community Development Corporation
- North & East Lubbock Community Development Corporation
- United South Broadway Corporation
- East Lubbock Resident Owned Business Initiative
- Alliance for Community Impact
- The Fountain of Youth Program, Inc.
- Manzeska Ota Tsi (Place to Borrow Money)
- Wisconsin Partnership for Housing Development
- Urban Land Conservancy
- Ready, Aim, Advocate Committee (R.A.A.)
Summary of the Community Benefits Plan between the National Community Reinvestment Coalition and UMB Bank
UMB will lend or invest over $5 billion to underserved borrowers and communities over a five- year period.
Mortgage Lending to the Underserved
Commitment: 10% increase in mortgage lending to underserved borrowers and communities over 5 years
To achieve its mortgage goals, UMB will leverage its internal resources, including a partnership with a nationwide DPA program, to ensure borrowers have access to down-payment assistance and closing cost programs and a smooth loan closing process. UMB commits to advancing housing stabilization with home repair, home improvement and purchase-rehab mortgage products and partnerships, with specific home repair products designed to preserve housing in low- and moderate-income communities, and in majority-minority census tracts. UMB will also seek relationships with rural coalitions throughout UMB’s footprint to determine the needs and possible strategies for increasing mortgage lending to residents of rural communities with low or moderate incomes. UMB offers financing for manufactured homes as well as USDA loans, which are impactful in addressing the housing needs in rural communities. UMB will partner with NCRC to identify rural coalitions. UMB’s mortgage loan officers (MLOs) who serve LMI communities will support achievement of these goals and are trained in layering complex and multiple down payment assistance products.
Small Business Lending
Commitment: 10% increase over 5 years
To support its small business lending goal, UMB will build relationships with, and invest in, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), non-profits and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that can assist small business applicants currently unable to get financing directly from traditional banks. For small businesses that may not qualify for UMB small business loans, UMB will work to develop resources to help educate them on credit readiness and alternate lending options.
Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI)
Commitment: $3.9 billion, equivalent to a 57% increase over 5 years
UMB commits to maintaining a CDLI ratio of 16% of Tier 1 Capital per year. UMB will set targeted community development goals across the Bank’s footprint, with increased goals in each state where the Bank has a CRA assessment area.
Among its CDLI priorities, UMB will support small business technical assistance nonprofit providers and designate a point of contact to assist these providers. UMB will also seek to support nonprofits and small developers with pre-development phase financing through grants and investments. UMB will explore developing a product designed to help Community Land Trusts and similar entities purchase, acquire and/or rehab properties to ensure permanent affordability of housing. UMB will seek opportunities to finance nonprofit developers of affordable housing, including developers owned by people of color. UMB will prioritize loans and investments that will increase the supply of affordable homes.
UMB will work with NCRC to convene members to determine the needs of its rural communities. UMB will designate a contact person that NCRC can direct interested members to regarding UMB’s rural community development activities.
Finally, recognizing that there is a critical shortage of affordable housing supply in markets across UMB’s footprint. UMB commits to continuing its community development goals to support the preservation and development of deep, permanent affordable housing.
UMB will provide NCRC with contacts for local community development staff and those responsible for helping the Bank meet its goals. UMB’s points of contact for this Plan will meet with NCRC members to explore new ways to meet the goals outlined in the Plan.
CRA Focused Philanthropy
Commitment: $27 million, equivalent to a 30% increase over 5 years
UMB commits to distributing the philanthropic increase across UMB’s footprint, with each state experiencing an increase during the course of the Plan. UMB’s philanthropic investment will include a focus on capacity building, technical assistance, special topic convenings, and workgroups, as well as developing emerging community economic development professionals.
UMB will provide support to 50 community-based nonprofit organizations that UMB has not previously supported while implementing this Plan.
Other Activities to Promote Access
UMB will offer a Bank On certified product and will not originate commercial loans that directly finance payday lenders.
Plan Governance and Annual Report
UMB will share information related to the Plan and the Bank’s progress towards its goals on its UMB.com CRA webpage. UMB will form a Community Advisory Council (CAC) that will review and discuss progress toward the Plan’s goals and objectives, as well as new issues and opportunities that arise during the implementation of this Plan. NCRC will name 50% of the Community Advisory Council members. UMB will provide progress reports for CAC meetings at least twice annually on this Plan, using a format mutually agreed upon with NCRC, and will share information on UMB’s website on the progress of implementing the Plan.
In addition to the CAC, UMB also commits to having its executive leadership join a meeting in the third quarter of every year of the Plan to discuss the annual report, and to gather community input on implementation issues or new community priorities that arise.
