2025 National Community Bank Service Awards

ICBA’s National Community Bank Service Awards—sponsored by FIS— is a moment to celebrate the community banks that have stepped up for their communities in significant ways.

Over the years we have heard stories about how community banks have filled gaps in their communities—by providing financial literacy education, services to families in need, and programs to uplift those that need support the most.

Congratulations to the 2025 Winners!

In 2025, ICBA’s award program includes two awards:

Exceptional Community Bank Service Award

Awarded to a bank who developed the service program three or more years ago

Emerging Community Bank Service Program Award

Awarded to a bank who developed the service program less than three years ago.

Thanks to our sponsor

For more than 50 years, leading financial institutions and businesses have relied on FIS financial technology to power their mission-critical operations. Today, our technology helps our clients unlock new growth opportunities by cutting through complexity and bringing harmony in how they store, move, and put money to work.

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Special Award Judge for 2025: Dave Fishwick

Dave Fishwick, founder of Burnley Savings and Loans Ltd (The Bank of Dave), is a dynamic entrepreneur, philanthropist, and champion of community banking reform. His life inspired the Netflix hit movie The Bank of Dave, which became one of the platform's most successful independent British films. In January 2025, the sequel, Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger, premiered to critical acclaim, immediately hitting Netflix’s Top 10.

Dave’s remastered documentaries and upcoming projects, including a Netflix documentary series and a West End musical debuting in August 2025, continue to amplify his mission of empowering communities and challenging industry giants. Dave joined us at ICBA’s Capital Summit and returns this year for ICBA LIVE – proudly joining his community banking peers to share stories and work together.

Award submissions will be accepted from March 1 – Wednesday, Apr. 30, 2025. 
Submissions for Exceptional Community Bank Service Award and Emerging Community Bank Service Program Award collect the following information through an online form: First Name and Last Name of Submitter, Bank Name, Bank Address, Phone, Email, Program Name, Time Since Service Program Was Developed, Employee Participation (% of employees who participated), Approximate Total Hours Donated by Bank, Average Hours Donated by Individual and a Description of the Bank Service Program.
Awards will be accepted from ICBA member banks only.  An ICBA member bank may complete multiple submissions for the National Community Bank Service Awards. 
Exceptional Community Bank Service Award will be presented to an ICBA member bank that has had a service program in place for three or more years.

Emerging Community Bank Service Program Award will be presented to an ICBA member bank that has had a service program in place for less than three years. 
Exceptional Community Bank Service Award and Emerging Community Bank Service Program Award will be judged on the following criteria:

Impact/Program/Success/Creativity/Innovation
Consideration will also be given for: Employee Involvement/Volunteerism/Time Donated/Volunteer Hours

Employee Involvement/Volunteerism/Time Donated/Volunteer Hours: judged based on form field submissions. 
Judges will be three members of the ICBA Marketing & Communications Department, one executive from FIS, and one community banker. Community bank judges will be from NCBSA winning banks.

Previous Award Winners

Congratulations to the 2025 Winners!

When a service program lasts for decades, it becomes part of the fabric of a community. That is clearly the case with $500 million-asset Gulf Coast Bank and its partner, Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana.

For the past 35 years, Gulf Coast Bank in Abbeville, Louisiana, has been a supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana’s annual fundraiser. Since 2009, the bank has raised almost $700,000 for the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which provides low-cost afterschool and summer programs for the region’s youth who need them most.