Bank On San Francisco

Bank On San Francisco is a collaborative effort among the San Francisco Treasurer's Office, local community organizations, and financial institutions to help low-income individuals achieve financial empowerment and strengthen their communities. Low-income individuals often lack a bank account and rely on check-cashing services that charge exorbitant fees to cash paychecks. Bank On San Francisco helps close the gap between unbanked San Franciscans and financial services by recruiting financial partners (local banks and credit unions) and community partners (employers, colleges, community agencies, etc...). By coordinating with financial service providers and local community organizations, Bank On San Francisco can help affect policy changes that make it easier for low-income community members to open bank accounts while at the same time broadly disseminating information and education regarding banking opportunities to the community. Started in 2005, Bank On San Francisco is housed in the San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment and receives financial support from local non-profits and financial institutions.

The goal of Bank On San Francisco is to assist low-income San Franciscans in entering the financial mainstream by offering financial education, aide with opening bank accounts, and shaping helpful financial policies through partnerships with the San Francisco Treasurer's Office, local community organizations, and banks.

Since 2006, Bank On San Francisco has helped 10,000 people access banking services each year. In addition, Bank On San Francisco has become the model for over one hundred other Bank On programs in the United States, including Bank on USA, a federal Bank On program. Bank On San Francisco has also won several awards for its services, including the 2008 James Irvine Leadership Award.