Workforce System and Bank Partnerships: A “How-To” Guide

This online toolkit provides a blueprint to help your workforce development board establish stronger partnerships with banks. These partnerships improve program participants’ employment and economic outcomes and benefit your community. These resources also encourage workforce development boards to examine whether your existing partnerships focus on equity and support of historically underserved communities, including people with disabilities and people of color. The toolkit has three sections and includes a short description of the resource discussed in each section:

As you develop your strategy to partner with a bank, there are a few routes you can take to build an outreach approach. The resources below explain how to discuss workforce development activities and how to engage banks in a strategic planning process.

Self-Assessment for Workforce Leadership

This self-assessment tool will help workforce system leaders review their current activities and identify future opportunities for partnerships with banks.»

Engaging Local Partners

This guide helps you identify and engage local community partners to realize positive outcomes from a workforce-bank partnership. »

Community Resource Mapping

This tool will help you understand the types of services and activities through which banks can earn CRA credit and map them to the service gaps in your community. »

Identifying Banks

This document assists in finding all the banks in your area, especially those that may have more community resources. »

How to Approach a Bank in Partnership

This summary of best practices will help you think about how to approach and establish partnerships with local banks. »

How to Discuss Workforce and CRA With Banks

This short guide will help you craft a compelling and persuasive narrative for a workforce system–bank partnership, as some banks may be unfamiliar with workforce systems and not recognize the potential benefits of a partnership. »

Creating Your Story for Financial Institution Partnerships

The Center for Disability-Inclusive Community Development (CDICD) developed an online workbook that will help you refine the information you present to banks about your organization and partnering needs. »

Strategic Planning with Bank Partnership

As your workforce system begins to think purposefully about partnering with a bank to co-design and deliver financial services to low- and moderate-income populations, use this tool to establish and implement a strategic plan. »

Helping Banks Verify That Services Reach Low- and Moderate-Income Communities and Individuals

This resource helps banks verify that your programs benefit low- and moderate-income individuals and neighborhoods and other underserved communities. »