How To Choose A Bank That Agrees With Your Values

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Key takeaways

Your bank uses your deposits to fund loans and investments that may support or oppose causes you care about — from fossil fuel financing to community development.
Credit unions are member-owned nonprofits that typically reinvest in local communities, charge lower fees, and offer competitive rates compared to large national banks.
Certifications like B Corp, CDFI, and GABV membership help you verify a bank’s values claims rather than relying on marketing alone.
You don’t have to sacrifice rates or features for values — many mission-driven banks and online banks offer competitive APYs and modern digital tools.
Values-based banking spans the political spectrum, with institutions aligned to progressive, conservative, faith-based, and environmental priorities.

When choosing a bank, most people focus on interest rates, fees, and convenience. But your bank does more than just hold your money — it uses your deposits to make loans and investments that can support or oppose causes you care about.

Whether you prioritize environmental protection, community development, faith-based principles, or specific political values, there are financial institutions that direct their resources toward causes aligned with your beliefs. Finding one that fits doesn’t have to mean giving up the banking features you need — it just requires a bit of research.

How to find a bank that matches your values

Finding a bank that shares your values starts with knowing what matters most to you. Once you’ve identified your priorities, these tools and strategies can help you narrow the search:

Mighty Deposits: A bank comparison site that analyzes public data about how banks use their money and who owns them. You can search for specific banks to see their investment breakdowns or filter institutions based on criteria like community investment focus.
Open Secrets: A nonprofit research organization that provides detailed analysis of political contributions from people and political action committees associated with commercial banks. You can see how much money goes to different political parties and causes.
The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV): A network of financial institutions committed to using finance for social, environmental, and economic development. Members must meet specific criteria around sustainable banking practices.
CDFI Fund (Community Development Financial Institutions): A U.S. Treasury designation for institutions that serve economically distressed communities. You can search their database for certified CDFIs near you.
B Corp certification: This verifies that a company meets high standards of social and environmental performance. A handful of banks hold this designation, including Amalgamated Bank and Beneficial State Bank.

Beyond third-party tools, check the bank’s own website. Look for an annual impact report, a sustainability page, or a Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rating. Banks receiving “Outstanding” CRA ratings have demonstrated strong commitment to lending in underserved communities.

Banks organized by values

Environmentally focused banks

If environmental impact is a top priority, look for banks that have committed to fossil fuel–free lending, invest in renewable energy, or hold GABV membership.

Amalgamated Bank: A GABV member and certified B Corp, Amalgamated directs 32% of its lending portfolio to climate solutions and has pledged not to lend to fossil fuel companies.
Beneficial State Bank: A B Corp–certified community development bank on the West Coast focused on sustainable and social impact lending.
Climate First Bank: A Florida-based bank that offers traditional banking products while directing lending toward renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability projects.
GreenFi (formerly Aspiration): Originally launched as Aspiration, this fintech rebranded as GreenFi in April 2025 after Aspiration Partners filed for bankruptcy amid fraud charges against its co-founder. GreenFi, now operated by Mission Financial Partners, continues to offer fossil fuel–free deposit accounts with FDIC insurance. However, given the brand’s turbulent history, do your own due diligence before opening an account.

You can also look for banks certified through the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF), which requires institutions to measure and disclose the carbon emissions linked to their lending and investment activities.

Want to earn top rates while banking green? Compare Bankrate’s best high-yield savings accounts

Community-focused banks and credit unions

Credit unions are inherently community-oriented — as member-owned nonprofits, they reinvest profits into better rates, lower fees, and local programs rather than paying shareholders. Many credit unions support nonprofit organizations, fund community events, and offer financial education programs.

Local and community banks also tend to keep more deposits circulating in the local economy by lending to area businesses and homeowners. If supporting your local community matters to you, consider institutions with:

CDFI certification, indicating a commitment to serving low-income and underserved communities
CRA “Outstanding” ratings, the highest grade for community reinvestment performance
Minority Depository Institution (MDI) designation, which identifies banks owned by and serving minority communities

According to Bankrate’s 2025 Emergency Savings Report, lower-income households are disproportionately affected by inadequate savings. Community banks and credit unions that serve these populations often offer products like second-chance checking accounts and low-minimum savings options that help close the gap.

Credit unions often offer lower fees and better rates. See Bankrate’s best credit unions for 2026

Politically aligned banks

Banks’ lending and investment decisions can have political implications. Some institutions are transparent about their political leanings, while others’ values become apparent through where they direct capital and campaign contributions.

Progressive-leaning institutions typically emphasize community development, environmental sustainability, and labor support:

Amalgamated Bank (New York): Serves unions, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations
Beneficial State Bank (West Coast): Certified B Corp focused on social impact
Sunrise Banks (Minnesota): CDFI focused on financial inclusion and community development

Conservative-leaning institutions may emphasize traditional values, faith-based principles, or support for industries like energy and agriculture:

Woodforest National Bank (Texas): Community bank with branches in underserved retail areas
First Premier Bank (South Dakota): Known for serving underbanked consumers
Arvest Bank (Arkansas): Community bank with strong presence in the central U.S.

To research any bank’s political leanings, search for it on OpenSecrets.org, which tracks contributions from people and PACs associated with specific companies.

Faith-based banking options

Several financial institutions operate according to specific religious principles:

AdelFi Credit Union (Brea, California) is a Christian-based institution. Anyone who agrees with its statement of faith can join. AdelFi gives 10% of its profits to missionaries and Christian-based efforts, and it was originally designed to serve Americans in full-time ministry.
University Islamic Financial (Ann Arbor, Michigan), owned by University Bank, offers sharia-adherent products, including mortgages built around the Islamic prohibition against charging interest.
Kosher Financial Institute provides a directory of banks and lending institutions that comply with Jewish law.

Bank certifications that verify values claims

Marketing language is easy to fake—certifications are not. Here are the most meaningful designations to look for:

Certification	What it means	How to verify
B Corp	Meets rigorous standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency	Search bcorporation.net/directory
CDFI	Treasury-certified institution serving economically distressed communities	Search cdfifund.gov
GABV member	Part of a global network committed to using finance for sustainable development	Search gabv.org/members
CRA Outstanding	Highest federal rating for community reinvestment performance	Search FFIEC CRA ratings database
MDI (Minority Depository)	Owned by and serving minority communities	Search FDIC MDI list
LEED-certified branches	Physical branches built to environmental sustainability standards	Check bank’s sustainability report

Don’t sacrifice banking fundamentals for values

Values matter, but so do rates, fees, and account features. A bank that matches your beliefs but charges high monthly maintenance fees or offers below-average savings rates isn’t doing you any financial favors.

Before committing to any institution, make sure it checks these boxes:

FDIC or NCUA insurance. This is non-negotiable. Your deposits should be insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per institution. Verify coverage at FDIC.gov or NCUA.gov.
Competitive rates. The best high-yield savings accounts currently pay 4.0%+ APY. Don’t accept a sub-1% rate just because a bank markets itself as “green” or “ethical.”
Low or no fees. Many free checking accounts offer zero monthly maintenance fees, no minimum balance requirements, and free ATM access.
Digital banking tools. Mobile check deposit, bill pay, Zelle integration, and real-time alerts should be standard. The best online banks offer all of these.
Convenient access. If you need in-person banking, check branch and ATM coverage. Many credit unions participate in the CO-OP Shared Branch network, giving members access to thousands of branches nationwide.

How to switch to a values-aligned bank

Ready to make the move? Switching banks is easier than most people think, but it does take some planning to avoid disruptions. Here’s a practical approach:

Open the new account first. Don’t close your old account until everything is set up and running smoothly at the new bank.
Move direct deposits and automatic payments. Update your paycheck, subscriptions, and recurring bills to the new account. This is the step that takes the most time—allow two to three billing cycles.
Keep both accounts open for a transition period. Run both accounts simultaneously for at least one to two months to catch any straggling automatic payments.
Close the old account once the transition is complete. Request written confirmation that the account is closed with a zero balance.

If switching your entire banking relationship feels overwhelming, you can start by opening a high-yield savings account at a values-aligned institution while keeping your existing checking account. This lets you redirect some deposits immediately while you plan a full transition.

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