# Notice of Information Collection and Request for Public Comment
**ACTION:**
Notice and request for public comment.
**SUMMARY:**
The U.S. Department of the Treasury, as part of a continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A). Currently, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), U.S. Department of the Treasury, is soliciting comments concerning the Bank Enterprise Award Program (BEA Program) Application (Application). The Application is an online form submitted through the CDFI Fund's Awards Management Information System (AMIS).
**DATES:**
Written comments must be received on or before May 11, 2026 to be assured of consideration.
**ADDRESSES:**
You may submit comments concerning the Application via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal at *www.regulations.gov.* Follow the instructions on the website for the submission of comments. In general, all comments will be available for inspection at *www.regulations.gov.* Comments, including attachments and other supporting materials, are part of the public record. Do not submit any information in your comments or supporting materials that you consider confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure. Information regarding the CDFI Fund and its programs may be obtained through the CDFI Fund's website at *http://www.cdfifund.gov.*
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
BEA Program, CDFI Fund, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20220, 202-653-0300 or by email to *[email protected].*
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
*Title:* BEA Program Application.
*OMB Number:* 1559-0005.
*Abstract:* The purpose of the Bank Enterprise Award Program is to provide an incentive to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-insured (FDIC-insured) depository institutions to increase their lending, investment, and financial services to residents and businesses located in economically distressed communities, and provide assistance through grants, stock purchases, loans, deposits, and other forms of financial and technical assistance. The CDFI Fund will make awards through the BEA Program to FDIC-insured depository institutions, based on institutions' demonstrated increase of qualified activities, as reported in the Application. The BEA Program Application will solicit information concerning the following: applicants' eligibility to participate in the BEA Program; the increase in total dollar value of applicants' qualified activities; and appropriate supporting documentation. The information collected by the Application will enable the CDFI Fund to evaluate applicants' activities and determine the extent of applicants' eligibility for BEA Program Awards.
*Current Actions:* Extension without change of currently approved collection.
*Type of Review:* Regular.
*Affected Public:* Businesses or other for-profit institutions, non-profit entities, and State, local and Tribal entities participating in CDFI Fund programs.
*Estimated Number of Respondents:* 174.
*Frequency of Response:* Annually.
*Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses:* 174.
*Estimated Annual Time per Respondent including optional questions:* 80 hours.
*Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:* 13,920.
*Request for Comments:* Comments submitted in response to this Notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will become a matter of public record and may be published on the CDFI Fund website at *https://www.cdfifund.gov.*
The CDFI Fund is seeking input on the BEA Program Application. The Application may be obtained from the Request for Public Comments page of the CDFI Fund's website at *https://www.cdfifund.gov/* requests-for-comments.
*Comments concerning the Application are invited on:* (a) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services required to provide information.
In addition, the CDFI Fund requests comments in response to the following questions about the BEA Program Application:
1. Is the data and information that is proposed to be collected by the BEA Program Application necessary and appropriate for the CDFI Fund to consider for the purpose of making award decisions? If no, specify which data and information and why?
2. In general, does the data and information requested in the BEA Program Application allow an applicant to demonstrate its lending, investment and service activities in BEA Program Distressed Communities or to CDFIs? If no, explain why not.
3. Are certain data fields, questions or tables redundant or unnecessary? If yes, identify which ones and why.
4. Should any data fields, questions or tables be added to ensure collection of relevant information? If yes, identify which ones and why.
5. Are there any data fields, questions or tables that are particularly difficult or burdensome to answer? If so, please be specific as to which questions or tables and describe why they are difficult or burdensome.
(Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1834a, 4703, 4713, 4717; 12 CFR part 1806)
Dated: March 6, 2026.
Alexandria Smith,
Acting Director, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.