First Financial Bank has entered into a new $2.4 billion, five-year Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) and related partner organizations, establishing goals for lending and investments to low- and moderate-income (LMI) clients and census tracts. The new agreement follows the successful conclusion of First Financial’s previous CBA, during which it achieved 192 percent of its $1.75 billion goal in lending and investments for 2018-2023.
“Our new Community Benefits Agreement is a bold statement about how First Financial intends to continue its mission to improve lives and help communities thrive,” said Archie Brown, president and CEO of First Financial. “These are neighborhoods where we live and work, and we are taking a leading role in helping our neighbors achieve goals and improve their financial wellbeing.”
“First Financial exceeded the goals we set together in our previous CBA and agreed to continue this strategic collaboration by negotiating new commitments to low- and moderate-income communities,” said NCRC President and CEO Jesse Van Tol. “These new commitments will directly improve the material conditions of under-resourced neighborhoods within the bank’s footprint. Every bank should take notice and embrace the same collaborative approach that First Financial continues to take on these issues.”
First Financial’s goals under the new CBA include:
“We have much to accomplish under this new agreement and already have a head start working in many of these areas,” said Roddell McCullough, chief corporate responsibility officer for First Financial. “Our previous CBA was an incredible success, touching thousands of lives for the better. I am excited at the prospect of helping many more individuals, families and businesses in the next five years.”
First Financial’s commitment to its communities over recent years was further validated when it achieved a rating of Outstanding from the Federal Reserve Board in 2021 for its performance under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). This rating, the highest available, came after a broad evaluation of First Financial’s lending, investment and service levels from 2017-2020. The review specifically looked at First Financial’s work that benefitted customers who met income guidelines or resided in LMI census tracts.