The Big Short’s Lessons in Bad Banking
The Big Short turns one of the most complex financial disasters in modern history into an engaging story about the people who saw the housing market collapse coming. Beyond the entertainment, the film offers an important warning about the dangers of unchecked greed, weak regulation, and banking practices that put profits ahead of people.
Bank of Dave’s Lessons on Community Banking
The 2023 Netflix film Bank of Dave tells the inspiring story of a businessman determined to create a community bank that serves local people rather than distant shareholders. While the movie takes creative liberties, its central lesson rings true: when capital stays local, communities thrive. Here’s what Bank of Dave can teach us about the power of community banking.
Disinvesting From War in the Middle East
Many people are asking how their financial decisions connect to global conflicts and military funding. While banking transparency remains limited, moving deposits from large multinational banks to local community institutions can be a meaningful way to align your finances with values of peace, accountability, and community development.
Saving the Planet With Your Savings Account
Most people think about reducing their carbon footprint through daily habits, but your bank account may have an even bigger impact. This review of Project Drawdown’s climate-responsible banking report explores how moving your savings from fossil-fuel-financing mega banks to mission-driven community banks and credit unions can help reduce emissions and support a more sustainable future.
What Is Ethical Banking? How Better Banking Supports Communities
Ethical banking is about more than avoiding mega banks—it’s about choosing financial institutions that use your deposits responsibly. From community lending to environmental sustainability and transparency, ethical banks and credit unions can help build a more equitable world while still meeting your everyday banking needs.
More About Our Data & How It’s Updated
Our Better Banking Options search engine uses FDIC and NCUA data to rank banks and credit unions based on community-focused lending and local impact.
Five Reasons to Break Up With Your Mega Bank
Mega banks prioritize profits and speculative investments over communities. Here are five reasons why moving your money to a local bank or credit union can make a real difference.
Why Aren’t I Seeing My Favorite Banking Option in My Search Results?
Wondering why your favorite bank or credit union isn’t ranking highly in our search engine? Learn how the Better Banking Options scoring system evaluates community lending, local investment, and neighborhood impact.
Why Transparency in Banking Matters for Community Development and Ethical Lending
Transparency in banking helps consumers understand how financial institutions use their deposits and whether banks are truly investing in underserved communities. As regulatory changes reduce reporting requirements for housing lending data, it becomes more difficult to evaluate which banks prioritize affordable housing, community development, and equitable lending practices.
What to Ask When Researching a Better Banking Option
Not all banks that market themselves as community-focused are equally effective at supporting local economies and underserved communities. This guide explains the key questions to ask when researching a bank or credit union, including how much they lend to small businesses and affordable housing, how transparent they are about their practices, and whether their leadership reflects the communities they serve.
How Mega Banks Create the Illusion of Effectiveness While Failing Communities
Mega banks often promote billion-dollar community development initiatives, but those numbers can be misleading when compared to the trillions of dollars they hold in assets. This article explains how to evaluate lending statistics using percentages rather than raw dollar amounts so you can better understand which banks are truly investing in low-income communities, affordable housing, and local economic development.
Updates & Announcements for Better Banking Options
Better Banking Options reflects on a year of researching community banks, credit unions, and ethical banking institutions across the country while outlining plans for the future. From developing a community banking search engine to expanding research into mission-driven financial institutions, the project continues working to make socially responsible banking more accessible and transparent.