The purpose of the Bank Enterprise Award Program (BEA Program) is to provide an incentive to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-insured (FDIC-insured) depository institutions to increase their lending, investment, and financial services to residents and businesses located in economically distressed communities, and provide assistance to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) through grants, stock purchases, loans, deposits, and other forms of financial and technical assistance. The CDFI Fund will make awards through the BEA Program to FDIC-insured depository institutions, based upon such institutions' demonstrated increase of qualified activities, as reported in the Application. The Application will solicit information concerning: Applicants' eligibility to participate in the BEA Program; the increase in total dollar value of applicants' qualified activities; impact of qualified activities; and appropriate supporting documentation. The questions that the Application contains, and the information generated thereby, will enable the CDFI Fund to evaluate applicants' activities and determine the extent of applicants' eligibility for BEA Program awards.
US Code:
12 USC 1834a
Name of Law: Assessment credits for qualifying activities relating to distressed communities
The BEA Program has not materially changed, and the proposed FY 2026-2029 BEA Program application is substantially similar to what was approved in 2023. The CDFI Fund has made efforts to further minimize the collection burden following the 2023 BEA PRA review of the Application by updating the Application for the FY 2026 â 2029 funding rounds, clarifying guidance and instructions, improving the Application submission process, streamlining supporting documentation requirements, and by implementing technical updates. There is an increase in burden due to adjustment in agency estimates, following growth in the average number of BEA Program applications received over the past three funding rounds (from 141 to 174 applications).
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.