Bank On Allegheny County

Description

We promote Bank On-certified accounts with financial institutions and community members, and work with partners to integrate banking with social services. Supported by our efforts, there are now 13 locally available accounts from financial institutions that meet national account standards for being safe, affordable, and accessible.

In addition, we also convene the Bank On Allegheny County Coalition. The Bank On Allegheny County Coalition supports collaborative banking inclusion efforts for those traditionally left out of the financial system. The coalition is made up of financial institutions, regulators, government agencies, and community based organizations. Our Advisory Council includes the City of Pittsburgh, CrossState Credit Union Association, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, PA Bankers Association, and PA Treasury. 

Goal of Program

We aim to ensure that community members understand their banking options and that all have access to safe, affordable accounts.

Our coalition works to use data and members’ expertise to identify and implement collaborative actions leading to greater financial inclusion. We also encourage additional financial institutions to adopt the Bank On national account standards for safe, affordable, and accessible accounts.

What We Provide

Bank On Allegheny County:

• • Produces, regularly updates, and distributes materials that describe the Bank On-certified accounts and their characteristics.
  • Offers direct assistance to financial institutions that are considering a Bank On-certified account.
  • Ensures that social service agencies understand the Bank On-certified accounts and provide access to their clients.
  • Identifies services and payment programs to integrate bank account opening and direct deposit.

We also hold a quarterly coalition meeting dedicated to issues of financial inclusion, including ethnicity/race, disability status, income/poverty, housing stability, justice involvement, limited English proficiency, etc. The purpose of these meetings is to share information and resources with those that serve the public so that unbanked and underbanked people in Allegheny County access the resources they need.

How to Engage

Go to bankonalleghenycounty.org. Contact Sarah Dieleman Perry, Director of Economic Opportunity, for more information or to join the coalition.