#45: Three Ways to Supplement Your CRA Program Today

Let's say you don't get to add to your CRA staff. What can you do to accomplish all of the work that you have before you? Today, I have three ways to support and supplement your CRA program. Leverage Bank Trainee ProgramsChances are there is a trainee program at your bank, whether it’s for new officers of the bank, credit training, retail staff, etc. Oftentimes, these trainee programs have special projects you can vie for in your CRA program. You can provide either a special, one-time project OR a credit activity that they can embark upon during each training session to learn more about the bank.So, it's a win-win, right? Your bank trainees are very eager. Make sure you train them on the core CRA and community development loan identification concepts, and they can help identify community development loans. They can also help with:• Documentation, if you haven’t had time to cross your T’s and dot your I’s• Data integrity reviews• Desktop procedures• Self-assessments or performance contexts for performance gaps you might haveSo, really think about this in terms of a case study, do some training, run some challenges, have a little fun, and make your training program a way to supplement your resources to support your CRA program.Hire InternsMany of our banks have intern programs, and you can have the interns do the same activities. Now, if you have some restrictions on the reporting or the sensitivity of client information, you can just have them do more external research and not have them look at credit documents. But, oftentimes we have our interns sign non-compete and confidentiality disclosures as well.Outsource to Consulting FirmsThe third way to support your CRA program is through outsourcing. We often use outsource consulting firms to help us either mine for community development loans or check the validity of our data on a quarterly basis. While you may be looking at loans at a hundred percent, these firms can provide independent, sampled reviews. Sometimes, you can even have consultants create self-assessments on your behalf.So again, leverage your trainee program within the bank, consider interns within your intern program and consider outsourcing to the extent that you need even more help that's specialized. CRA Today helps bankers master the Community Reinvestment Act, get exam ready, and change lives through the power of community development.Want to learn the CRA basics? Sign up for CRA Essentials Live! A live webinar with Linda Ezuka that shares everything you need to create a solid foundation for your CRA journey. https://hub.cratoday.com/freewebinarReady to take a deeper dive into the CRA? Join your fellow CRA enthusiasts in the CRA Hub as we navigate regulatory change, study core CRA concepts and connect as community development professionals across the nation.https://cratoday.com/hub/Are you understating your lending performance? Learn the 5 Foundational Steps to Building an Outstanding Community Development Loan Portfolio with an on-demand training workshop.https://cratoday.com/blueprint/CRA Today Website: https://cratoday.com/ Linda Ezuka, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-ezuka-cra-today/Copyright © 2022 by CRA Today LLC(No claim to original U.S. government material)All rights reserved. No part of this podcast may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the author and publisher.This podcast is a periodic publication of CRA Today LLC and is intended to notify and inspire recipients of new developments in the Community Reinvestment Act. It should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general informational purposes only, and you are urged to consult your own attorney concerning your situation and specific legal questions you have.Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm