Charles Schwab Bank
High-value report illustrating the bank’s community development work that helps their neighbors achieve brighter futures.
The client
Charles Schwab Bank’s Community Development Group was formed to comply with the Community Reinvestment Act, which requires federally insured depository institutions to meet the credit needs of all communities, particularly those in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. But Schwab Bank was not content to simply “comply.” Instead, they approach it as a mission-driven business — one that helps everyone “own their tomorrows.”
The work of Schwab Bank’s Community Development Group requires a keen understanding of the systems and supports necessary for people in previously underserved neighborhoods to achieve financial stability and build wealth — and the necessary skills to build relationships with the right people, find the right opportunities, and lend and invest with the right partners to affect lasting change. That’s how the Community Development Group maximizes its impact.
Guided by a strategic plan, in the last 15 years, Schwab Bank’s Community Development Group has infused $8.2 billion into designated communities, supporting 60,000 small businesses and nearly 9,000 nonprofits, as well as aiding in the creation of more than 1 million affordable housing units. Proudly, Schwab Bank has received an outstanding CRA rating every year since 2012.
The partnership
Despite the Community Development Group’s success, there was little awareness for what they do to uplift their neighbors, and the numbers alone don’t tell a complete story. Intent on changing that, Schwab Bank turned to D Custom to create a high-value report that explains the impact — and how it’s achieved — through in-depth reporting, feature writing, and compelling design.
Community development work requires ingenuity and gumption. That’s because it’s complex, involving partnerships with intermediaries such as community development financial institutions, syndicators, and nonprofits that provide funds and assistance to individuals and families seeking more sustainable lives.
But it’s insufficient to say that Schwab Bank’s capital funnels through these intermediaries. The Community Development Group’s power lies in each business unit’s ability to navigate these intricate ecosystems and secure relationships with key players effecting large-scale, long-term change.
Our job was not only to explain the work in a way a broader audience could understand but also to humanize it by connecting Schwab Bank’s efforts to the people they’re committed to uplifting.
The takeaways
Originally, the report was envisioned as a publication for Charles Schwab employees and clients. Once completed, we realized it needed to be shared with the company’s headquarters community of North Texas — and the content broadened to include valuable community impact work being done throughout the firm.
Because D Custom is a division of D Magazine Partners, Charles Schwab was able to mail its community impact report directly to business owners, presidents, and other C-suite executives via the November 2026 issue of D CEO. The award-winning magazine reaches 68,000 of the region’s business influencers and decision-makers, who can follow the Charles Schwab’s example in helping people in their communities achieve brighter futures
Flip through the 2026 impact report:
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