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Your 2026 Budget Is Complete. Now Is the Right Time to Fix What Made It Hard.
Your 2026 Budget Is Complete. Now Is the Right Time to Fix What Made It Hard. SPONSORED | Budget season is behind you, but those frustrating spreadsheet errors, manual ALM imports, and limited...
Jim Reber: Jonathan Swift on Community Banking
Through the lens of Jonathan Swift’s sharp observations, Jim Reber examines enduring truths about community banking—balancing risk and reward, managing portfolios, and navigating uncertainty with...
Everything You Need to Know About ICBA LIVE 2026
The world's largest gathering of community bankers will be inspiring, educational and invigorating. Learn about the events, speakers and celebrations that make it a must-attend event.
You’ve Launched a New Website—What Happens Now?
“Build it and they will come” is great for a baseball field. But when you’ve just put your all into a new website, find out how to generate ROI, produce actionable results and more.
The Pros and Cons of Offering Trust Services
Offering fiduciary services can add depth to your wealth management offerings, but it won’t be right for every community bank. Bankers and other experts weigh in.
D&O, Liability and Cyber Insurance: How to Keep Up
Emerging threats make it important to update insurance coverage, whether it’s for directors and officers, cybersecurity or professional liability insurance.
Jim Reber: October, Effectively
How have the financial markets performed in the tenth month?
Michael Benedict: Too Much of a Good Thing?
Balance is key when it comes to capital and profitability.
How Bigger Community Banks Maintain a Local Feel
It’s in the name—community banks are all about building community. So, when they expand into other markets, how do they continue to make the authentic connections they’re known for?
Jim Reber: Moving on Up
Bond portfolios’ yields are beginning to catch up.
7 Steps to a Successful Regulatory Audit
Preparation is key to passing a regulatory exam with flying colors. These tips for the stages before, during and after an audit will ensure your bank and management impress regulators.
8 Budgeting Ideas That Support Growth
Smart budgeting allows for adaptation to changing financial and economic conditions. But the most important thing, say experts, is that community banks focus on investing in what’s working for them.
6 Things to Consider Before Opening a New Branch
A new branch can present new opportunities for community banks—if you plan thoroughly and calculate the risk involved.
Michael Benedict: Are We There Yet?
Take a look at the nagging persistence of portfolio mark‑to‑market.
What Is Behavioral Economics, and Could It Help Your Bank Grow?
Much of our financial decision-making is driven by cognitive biases and emotions—and behavioral economics is the science behind that.
The Importance of Change Management at Community Banks
As new technology and solutions ebb and flow, community bankers have to manage the change that comes with them. While change can be hard, offering a hand and lending an ear can ease the transition.
Maximize Your Community Bank's Digital Experience
A high-functioning digital platform is no longer an added perk for bank customers—it’s the standard.
Jim Reber: The Fed Loosens Up
A slowdown in quantitative tightening has an element of policy easing.
Chippewa Valley Bank: Fueling Growth With Innovative Bank Stock Lending
Chippewa Valley Bank has pioneered an innovative bank stock lending program, providing community banks with an expedited and cost-efficient avenue to acquire capital and interest-earning assets.
Powering Potential: A Successful Year for ICBA's National Campaign
Since its debut in April 2023, the ICBA National Campaign and its vital marketing resources have made significant headway in raising awareness for community banks and their mission.
Jim Reber: Rolling With the Curve
An upward slope can bolster market values.
7 Strategies for Raising Bank Deposits
Community banks must maintain a competitive edge to stay on top of their deposits.
How Marketing Impacts Community Banks' Recruiting
A marketing campaign could be the first thing a prospective employee sees while researching your community bank.
Jim Reber: Dialing It Back
Simple bonds find favor with portfolio managers in 2024.
How to Curate Your Community Bank's Social Strategy
Between Facebook, Instagram, X and other social media platforms, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to successfully follow every social trend when it comes to your marketing.
Traditional Advertising's Place in Community Bank Marketing
Marketing success is often measured against website traffic, comments and likes these days, but there’s still a place for traditional ads.
5 Tactics to Turbo Boost Your Marketing
It can feel impossible to keep up with shifts in social media and other digital marketing channels.
Jim Reber: The Big Chill
Might the bond market be range-bound in 2024?
From Vision to Reality: How CDFIs and MDIs Fund Their Important Efforts
Minority-owned banks are a lifeline to their communities—but their needs often outstrip deposits. These MDIs are securing the capital and resources to LIFT UP their communities.
Schooling Customers on Student Loan Fraud
With student loan payments recently unpaused, cybercriminals have new ways of scamming banks and their customers. Here’s what community banks and their customers need to know.
Member Benefits: Educated Investing With ICBA Securities
In partnership with its exclusively endorsed broker Stifel, ICBA Securities offers practical and educational investment resources for community banks across the nation.
What Bank Swag Does Gen Z Want?
Financial institutions are vying for Gen Z’s business, and if you want to attract this new cohort of customers, you need to think about incentives beyond bank-branded beer koozies and keychains.
How Community Banks Target and Support Fast-Growing Cities
Surging population growth brings opportunities for community banks that are positioned to take advantage of it.
Citizens Bank & Trust Brings Banking Back to School
Citizens Bank & Trust saw a need and a demand for financial literacy in local high schools. Now, the community bank has two school branches that are run by student tellers and teacher presidents.
Using Data to Boost Mortgage Lending
Can community banks reengage existing mortgage customers through data, or find new ones? We spoke to experts on where to find data that could increase sales—and what to do with it.
Bank of Anguilla Weathers the Storm
In the wake of a destructive tornado in Mississippi, Bank of Anguilla continues to develop initiatives that will help people recover from the damage and return home.
Can Third-Party Vendors Ease Wealth Management?
Community banks with wealth management programs can access a new source of revenue, but starting from scratch can be a major undertaking.
Is Cybersecurity Insurance Worth the Higher Premiums?
Cybersecurity should be a foundational element of any community bank, but do you really need to be insured for it, especially as premiums rise? We spoke to experts to learn more about cyber insurance.
Leveling Up: How Community Banks Should Navigate Asset Size Growth Thresholds
As your bank grows in asset size, it’s vital to keep up with compliance regulations to meet the standards of each new threshold. By planning ahead and preparing your staff, the process can be...
How Banks Can Combat Deposit Insurance Disruption
Following the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, community banks look to alternative deposit insurance options.
Charles Potts: Budgeting for the Future
We’re in a tricky economic environment, but by focusing further down the line, we can get ahead of industry evolution and prepare for what’s next.
Jenna Burke: Are Changes to Bank M&A Rules on the Horizon?
The Department of Justice and other banking agencies are evaluating a new potential M&A framework. What does this mean for community banks?
Should You Talk to Customers about your Community Bank's Finances?
With the recent failures of a few megabanks, customers may have questions and concerns about their own banks. Here’s how you can address them.
9 Ways for Community Banks to Cut Expenses
As the start of the fiscal year approaches, it’s a great opportunity for community banks to revisit vendor contracts, technology and more to limit expenses. We asked experts for their top tips on...
Jim Reber: Portfolio Power
Barbell structure may be the right regimen.
7 ways community banks can boost profitability
A profitability strategy has a lot to factor in given today’s uncertain market. Here’s what community bankers need to know when planning their budgets for the next year.
Why community banks are acquiring nonbanks
Acquiring a wealth management firm, fintech, title business or other nonbank organization can unlock new opportunities for community banks. But experts say that finding the right business to...
ICBA’s best-performing community banks of 2020
Independent Banker’s annual listing of America’s best-performing community banks shows that nimble thinking and an adherence to good old-fashioned customer service can bring success, whatever the...
Improve your next marketing campaign with data
Using data from your community bank, an ad campaign or public sources allows your marketing efforts to find potential or existing customers who’ve already shown interest in your brand.
6 ways to boost your social media strategy
Community banks are building relationships through an active, thoughtful presence on social media, and these platforms are an extension of the relationships that community banks foster. Experts...
The advertising regulations you need to know
Like any business marketing its products and services, a community bank must keep its advertising truthful. There are plenty of regulations specific to financial institutions under the FDIC, CFPB...
Why going public is still an option
In recent years, some community banks have made the decision to go public as part of their strategy for growth. In 2020, however, COVID-19 cast uncertainty over the market. But experts say...
CFOs on how to account for the year's uncertainty
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has required community banks to adjust business practices, roles, budgeting and projections. We spoke to several chief financial officers and other community...
4 community banks with eye-catching names
These community banks know you never get a second chance to make a first impression. From Ergo Bank in Wisconsin to Happy State Bank in Texas, we uncover the roots of four banks’ eye-catching...
ICBA’s best-performing community banks
Our annual list of the year’s top-performing community banks boasts institutions that focus on efficiency and the personal service that builds strong, lasting relationships. Their success last year...
How to get and keep new customers
Customers have more choices than ever about where and how to do their banking. Community banks must find the right ways to engage them if they want to win and retain their loyalty. Here are the...
Community Bank CEO Outlook 2020: How your peers plan to grow
Independent Banker’s Community Bank CEO Outlook survey asked community bank leaders how they plan to grow their institutions this year. This year’s survey reveals what community bankers have...
Why your bank should be budgeting for the big picture
Your community bank’s strategic plan often takes things like innovation, growth and succession planning into account, but does the budget? How can your bank plan for these often unpredictable...
Five steps to building an effective deposit strategy plan
SPONSORED | Building an effective deposit strategy plan is an integral tool to acquiring new, and retaining existing, deposits. Here are the five steps for designing, organizing and implementing a...
Why your bank needs dedicated cyber insurance
Some banks have relied on their existing insurance policies to protect them from today’s security threats. But as the amount of data that community banks amass grows, they should consider dedicated...