Better

Banking

Matters

Banks and credit unions are part of our daily lives—but most of us rarely think about what they do with our money. Nearly every dollar we earn and spend passes through a financial institution. But while they hold it, how are they putting it to use?

A large, sprawling tree with thick, twisted branches extending horizontally near the ground, with moss on the trunk and branches, set in a grassy park area.

Black and white illustration of a house with a dollar sign above it, and dollar bills beside it, symbolizing real estate or home investment.

Thanks to federal insurance, banks can leverage deposits—turning every dollar into ten dollars in loans. That’s a powerful tool.

But many banks, especially the “too big to fail” mega-banks, misuse this power. Instead of reinvesting in communities, they fund fossil fuels and engage in risky speculation, dedicating only a small portion to meaningful loans.

A good bank or credit union puts your deposits to work locally—through wealth-building tools like affordable housing loans and small business lending that create jobs, support families, and strengthen communities.

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Our story…

This project began as a natural extension of our parent organization, Just Money Advisors.* For over 30 years, our advisors have helped clients align their investments with their values—and time and again, the question came up: “What does a better bank look like, and how can I find one near me?”

This site is our most comprehensive (if complex) attempt to answer that question. Since bringing on our project director in 2017 to help realize this vision, we’ve been researching and writing about banking data to identify banks and credit unions that engage in quality lending—particularly in low- and moderate-income communities. Along the way, we’ve faced our share of roadblocks, which has only deepened our understanding of how essential transparency and stronger regulation are to creating a truly equitable banking system.

Wanting to offer a tool that could serve people across the country, we brought years of research to a software developer who helped us build our Better Banking Options search engine. Since then, we’ve helped hundreds of users find community-focused banks and credit unions near them—while also equipping them with the resources they need to make the switch with confidence.

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