City Survey: Washington, DC
Washington, DC, has a surprisingly rich landscape of Better Banking Options, from Black-owned banks and immigrant-focused credit unions to cooperative lenders and community development institutions. This city survey highlights mission-driven banks and credit unions helping strengthen neighborhoods across the nation’s capital.
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.
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.
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.
Better Banking Options — Find a Bank That Invests in Your Community
Where we bank is one of the most direct and simple ways we can use our money to help those who need it—without even needing to give it away.