Every participating bank and credit union in CNote’s network provides core impact data that helps us understand the scale and reach of their lending. At a minimum, participating institutions report the total number and dollar amount of loans they originated along with the percent originated into key under-resourced communities.
That baseline information is important. It helps CNote and our investors understand how deposits are supporting inclusive lending across communities that have historically faced barriers to capital. But in many cases, that required data is only the starting point.
Many CNote investors, particularly corporate impact investors, come to us with specific priorities. Some are focused on affordable housing. Others care deeply about climate and sustainability, access to healthcare, small business ownership, financial inclusion, or rural communities. When investors have these more specific goals, CNote needs more than a broad view of total lending activity. We need enough detail to understand which institutions are most closely aligned with those goals.
That is where optional impact data becomes especially valuable.
In addition to required reporting, CNote asks participating banks and credit unions to share more detailed information where available. This may include lending by sector, such as healthcare, green financing, affordable housing, community facilities, healthy food access, or digital equity. It may also include borrower or community characteristics, such as lending to underserved populations, rural communities, small businesses, microbusinesses, or first-time homebuyers. We also ask institutions to identify the products, services, target communities, and impact themes that best describe their work.
This additional information helps CNote move from general impact alignment to more precise impact matching.
For example, one recent corporate impact investor was interested in placing deposits with institutions that could support sustainability and community revitalization, while still meeting rate and liquidity needs. To evaluate potential matches, CNote reviewed optional data on whether institutions offered green financing, community facilities financing, healthcare financing, healthy food financing, digital equity financing, and whether they reported lending dollars tied to those categories. That deeper information allowed us to assess which institutions had the strongest thematic alignment, rather than relying only on total lending volume or broad community development designations.
This example shows why optional data matters. Knowing that an institution originated $50 million in loans and that 56% reached low- and moderate-income communities is meaningful. But for an investor specifically focused on healthcare access or sustainability, that may not be enough to identify the best fit. More detailed data gives CNote the evidence needed to make stronger recommendations and explain why a particular institution aligns with a particular investor’s goals.
Providing optional data does not guarantee a deposit. Investor decisions also depend on factors such as capacity, rate, liquidity, timing, geography, risk, and portfolio construction. But richer impact data improves CNote’s ability to understand each institution’s work and recognize alignment when the right opportunity emerges.
The more complete the data, the more clearly CNote can tell the story of a bank or credit union’s impact. And when investors are looking for specific outcomes, that clarity can make the difference between being broadly eligible and being a strong match.
