Maybe I scroll through the Register too fast? Quite possibly I am simply looking in the wrong place!

Can anyone define: "..provide technical assistance about financial services to community based groups..."

Is this exclusively technology? software, etc?
What exactly is, "technical assistance" in the context of the proposed rules?

Much appreciation to the guru who can clarify this!
~Chrissey

The phrase refers to providing your financial expertise on financial issues. If you merely sit on a charitable organization's board you won't get community development credit because you must provide service that is financial in nature. The phrase is not intended to suggest that you provide "technical" information in the sense of technology or software per se.

Our IT manager sits on a technology committee using his banking skills to assist a non-profit whose mission is providing housing (pulling people off the street into tempory housing, moving them to apartments, and then to home ownership); all of which is for low-income persons. Had a very robust discussion with our examiner on this - he saw financial services only as loans or deposits, nothing more, and would not count this activity for the service test. I discussed this at a roundtable with other agency CRA examiners - they said the activity should have counted. Go figure!

I agree that actual technology services should count for CRA. This was discussed at the Fed's last interagency conference. However, as well all know individual examiners get to make up rules for CRA.

I know - had to handle the "invent a reg" routine before!

I am a narrow minded pinhead, how is information technology related to the provision of financial services?

I can see how an examiner would say no to the technology committee.

Would you give credit to a staff building inspector advising a nonprofit apartment owner?

Would your facilities manager serving on a committee to advise nonprofits on janitorial services qualify.

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I think I am becoming poisoned in my thinking, just sayin'...

The technology could help them with their financial management.

Thanks to all for responses. I had read regarding providing "technology" -- I can see the need for technological services to community organizations (but I have no interest in being the one providing it!)

I was hoping that it was down to the basics such as budgeting, balancing checkbooks, difference between current/available balances, etc.

And maybe one day, the examiners will grant "favorable consideration" for the "small banks"... For today, just puttering along as long as I continue to be invited to my existing community groups; providing that which I have been providing all along: financial basics to those who otherwise are too intimidated to ask

Thanks again all

I like this Kaybee - increasing the capacity of the nonprofit to serve its client base by providing TA in support of improving the financial reporting of the nonprofit and the reporting of the client base to state and federal funders.....

Yep! That's the idea, and the right lingo to explain the reasoning.