Become an FHLBank Atlanta Member

FHLBank Atlanta membership is open to eligible financial institutions whose principal place of business is located in Alabama, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Virginia. An insured depository institution (thrift, commercial bank, or credit union) is eligible for membership if it:

  • is regulated under federal or state banking laws;
  • has at least a "satisfactory" CRA rating or can provide evidence that its home financing credit policy and lending practices meet the housing finance needs of its community;
  • meets minimum regulatory capital requirements and has a financial condition such that advances can be safely made;
  • holds home mortgage loans with an original term to maturity of at least five years or owns mortgage-backed securities comprised of long-term loans; and
  • has at least 10 percent of its assets in residential mortgage loans or real estate-related securities. Community Financial Institutions (CFI) are exempt from this requirement. A CFI is a depository institution whose deposits are FDIC-insured, whose character of management is consistent with sound and economical home financing, and whose assets, averaged over three years, are less than $1.011 billion in 2009.

De Novos

An institution is considered a de novo if the Bank receives its application for membership within three years of its charter approval date. De novos may apply for membership at any time, even before commencing operations. De novos that have not had a CRA exam receive conditional approval upon receipt of a "satisfactory" or "outstanding" CRA rating in their first CRA exam.

Insurance Companies

Insurance companies are also eligible for membership but are not subject to the 10 percent test. Instead, insurance companies must have mortgage-related assets that reflect a commitment to housing finance.

Benefits

Members enjoy many benefits, including the ability to:

  • Better manage earnings by funding lending and investment activities with competitively priced advances that supplement retail deposits.
  • Reduce interest-rate risk and support asset/liability management strategies by tailoring the maturity of Bank advances to match the terms of assets.
  • Fund asset growth without the delays inherent in raising retail deposits.
  • Participate in exclusive educational seminars, workshops, and web conferences designed to enhance the effectiveness of business strategies.
  • Access grants and low-cost loans that support affordable housing and community economic development.

Getting Started

To begin an application for membership, print the appropriate application form from this website or request an application from Membership Applications by calling 800.536.9650, extension 8093.

Commercial banks and thrifts within three years of charter approval must use the de novo application form. Other commercial banks should use the community bank application form.

Send the completed application form and all supporting documents to:

Leah Douglass
Membership Applications
Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta
1475 Peachtree St NE
Atlanta, GA 30309

Or, send the application and supporting documents via e-mail to Leah Douglass.

We will process your application and notify you of approval within 60 days.