Important Information Relating to COVID-19
As pillars and major employers in your communities, FHLBank Chicago knows that you are focused on maintaining your business operations and supporting your customers and communities. Our team is well positioned to maintain the level of assistance and partnership you have come to expect from us. Serving you remains our highest priority.
The following is a resource page to summarize the temporary relief that may be available to you during the COVID-19 pandemic, best practices and suggestions for managing virtual operations, and additional resources that may be useful to you as we navigate these unprecedented times. Check back regularly for the latest updates.
COVID-19 Related Updates from FHLBank Chicago
- May 5, 2020 | COVID-19 Update: A Message from the Chair of Our Board of Directors
- April 23, 2020 | SBA 7(a) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans are Now Eligible Collateral
- April 21, 2020 | Important Update Regarding Our COVID-19 Relief Program
- April 20, 2020 | A COVID-19 Relief Program for Our Members and Their Communities
- March 31, 2020 | COVID-19 Update: A Message from the Chair of Our Board of Directors
- March 27, 2020 | Coronavirus Update: We Are Here to Support You
- March 12, 2020 | An Update on the Coronavirus and Its Implications
COVID-19 Relief Program
What is it?
- 1-year, zero-rate advance up to $4 million per member
- Prepayable at any time, without fee
- 2% Reduced Capitalization Advance Program (RCAP)
- Available for all FHLBank Chicago member and associate member institutions
- Collateral and all other advance eligibility requirements apply
FHLBank Chicago has allocated enough funds for all member and associate member institutions to execute a COVID-19 Relief Advance up to $4 million, but the Bank may be limited in how many advance requests can be processed within a single week. The program will be available for four weeks: Monday, April 27 - Friday, May 22.
Follow these steps to ensure timely and successful access to the COVID-19 Relief Advance:
Step 1
- What to do: Ensure you are operationally-ready to transact with FHLBank Chicago by reviewing the "Steps for Uninterrupted Access" on this page. The FHLBank Chicago Sales, Strategy, and Solutions team is notifying members and associate members that may need to execute documentation and/or pledge and report collateral to receive Relief Advance funds.
- How to do it: Review the steps on this page under "Operational Readiness with FHLBank Chicago."
Step 2
- What to do: Confirm your FHLBank Chicago Member Number and identify the individual with Advance Transact authorization who will complete the application.
- How to do it: Review this information by logging into eBanking.
Step 3
- What to do: Complete the one-page application for the COVID-19 Relief Advance, indicating the Requested Advance Amount. The Requested Advance Amount is one-time-only per member associate member institution and cannot be modified.
- How to do it: Click here for the Application.
Step 4
- What to do: Individual with Advance Transact authorization for member or associate member institution should email the completed application to the email address provided to ReliefAdvance@fhlbc.com.
Reminders
- Requests submitted and processed Monday 8:00 a.m. (CST) through Thursday 3:00 p.m. (CST) will be scheduled to fund Friday mornings. Funding may roll to the next Friday if a high volume of requests occur during the week. All requests should be received no later than Thursday, May 21 at 3:00 p.m. (CST).
- Relief Advance is prepayable at any time without fee.
- What to do: Review FAQ document for more information.
What Is It?
- Grants up to $20,000 are available per member and associate member institution.
- Beneficiaries are small businesses and nonprofit organizations in Illinois and/or Wisconsin as selected by member or associate member institution.
FHLBank Chicago has allocated enough funds for all member and associate member institutions to receive up to $20,000 in Relief Grant funds, but the Bank may be limited in how many grant requests can be processed within a single week. The program will be available for four weeks: Monday, April 27 - Friday, May 22.
Follow these steps to ensure timely and successful access to the COVID-19 Relief Grant Program:
Step 1
- What to do: Identify the authorized individual to complete the application and determine the small businesses and/or nonprofit organizations beneficiaries.
- How to do it: Click here to contact Community Investment with any questions.
Step 2
- What to do: Confirm your FHLBank Chicago member number.
- How to do it: Review this information by logging into eBanking.
Step 3
- What to do: Complete the one-page application for the COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, indicating at a minimum your contact information and Amount Requested. The grant is available as a one-time-only per member institution or associate member institution and cannot be modified.
- How to do it: Click here for the application.
Step 4
- What to do: Duly authorized user for member or associate member institution should email the completed application to ReliefGrant@fhlbc.com.
Reminders
- Requests submitted and processed Monday 8:00 a.m. (CST) through Thursday 3:00 p.m. (CST) will be scheduled to fund Friday mornings. Grant funds may roll to the next Friday if a high volume of requests occur during the week. All requests should be received no later than Thursday, May 21 at 3:00 p.m. (CST).
- Ideally, member or associate member institutions should deploy grant funds within 30 days to beneficiaries from the time they receive the funds. Community Investment staff will request grant beneficiary information from members if not yet provided.
- What to do: Review FAQ document for more information.
Click here to download the COVID-19 Relief Advance application.
Click here to download the COVID-19 Relief Grant application.
For more details about the COVID-19 Relief Program, click here to download our FAQ document.
FAQ document last updated on April 23, 2020.
FHLBank Chicago Accommodations and Relief
The following information is as of May 14, 2020. For a summary of the most recent MPF Announcements and e-alerts that the MPF Program publishes in regards to COVID-19, visit the MPF COVID-19 Resource Center.
Below are announcements from the MPF Program regarding COVID-19 related important updates for MPF Products offered by the FHLBank Chicago. Please contact the MPF Service Center or MPF Sales Support with any questions.
Impact of COVID-19 on Originating and Servicing MPF Direct Loans Product: MPF Direct
MPF Direct loans must follow policies and guidance issued by the product’s investor, Redwood Trust.
Visit the MPF Direct Portal.
Impact of COVID-19 on MPF Government Loans and MPF Government MBS Loans Products: MPF Government and MPF Government MBS
MPF Government loans and MPF Government MBS loans must follow policies and guidance issued by the applicable Government Agencies. Visit the applicable agency’s site.
- The Federal Housing Administration (FHA)
- The Veterans Administration (VA)
- The Rural Housing Service(RHS)
Impact of COVID-19 on Originating and Servicing MPF Xtra Loans Product: MPF Xtra
PFIs and Servicers of MPF Xtra, visit Fannie Mae’s Single-Family Originating & Underwriting and Single-Family Servicing sites for the latest guidance and policy information related to COVID-19.
The MPF Program is actively monitoring reports about the potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on borrowers, PFIs, and Servicers. We have communicated various investor updates and temporary policies via MPF Announcements and e-alerts to ensure our PFIs and Servicers receive the most up to date information and enable you to better assist borrowers impacted by COVID-19. This webpage will provide a summary of the most recent MPF Announcements and e-alerts that the MPF Program published in regards to COVID-19. The red text identifies the most recent changes.
Impact of COVID-19 on Originations of MPF Traditional (Conventional) Loans Product: MPF Traditional
In a continuing effort to monitoring the spread of COVID-19 and its concerns about its potential impact on borrowers, businesses, and loan originations, the MPF Program is issuing this guidance on originating and delivering MPF program mortgage loans, which in some instances reminds PFIs of current or announced temporary policies, and in other instances creates new temporary policies. This guidance supersedes any conflicting current Guide provisions or recent COVID-19 announcements.
Click here to read the MPF Program announcement for more information.
Register for MPF Program Communications
- Visit www.fhlbmpf.com to register for MPF Program e-mail alerts to ensure that your institution is up-to-date on the latest MPF Program announcements. From the MPF Program website, registration is easy to complete in three steps:
Select "Online Guides"
Select "E-mail Subscriptions"
Select "I want to receive e-mail announcements and notifications about this site."
What Is It?
- Grants up to $50,000 are available to support nonprofit lenders by providing resources to strengthen their financial position, increase operational efficiency, and grow human capital.
- Members may submit multiple grant applications for individual lenders.
- Grants are accessed by members and associate members and passed through to beneficiaries.
- The program opened on April 6; the application deadline has been extended to Friday, May 22.
- Award announcements expected in late August.
FHLBank Chicago has allocated additional funds to support member and associate member institutions, particularly if impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Follow these steps to ensure timely and successful access to the Community First Capacity-Building Grant Program:
Step 1
- What to do: Identify an individual with full authority to make the certifications required by the application and that you have identified the nonprofit lender beneficiary that will be supported by the Capacity-Building Grant.
- How to do it: Click here to contact Community Investment
Step 2
- What to do: Complete the application for the Capacity-Building Grant Program in partnership with your nonprofit lender beneficiary.
- How to do it: Click here for the application.
Step 3
- What to do: Member institution or associate member institution should email the application to Community Investment.
- How to do it: Review FAQ document for more information.
Reminders
- Additional information will be requested from select applicants, with award announcements expected for late August.
- Grant recipients must request disbursement of grant funds within six months of executing the grant agreement through the member institution that sponsored the application.
- What to do: Review the FAQ document for more information or visit our Community First Capacity Building Grant Program page.
Operational Readiness with FHLBank Chicago
You can download our Test Your Line PDF here.
Additional Resources
- Click here to see the FHLBank Chicago employee "Tips for Working Remotely" document.
- American Banker | Bank CIOs confront challenge of so many employees working at home.
- Forbes | Remote Work and Best Practices: The Coronavirus Workplace Series
- ICBA | Should your Bank's employees work remotely?
- McKinsey | A blueprint to working remotely: Lessons from China
Monitoring COVID-19 Developments
Disclaimer
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) makes no representations or warranties (express or implied) about the accuracy, currency, completeness, or suitability of any information provided on this page. The data and valuations provided on this page are for information purposes only and are provided as an accommodation and without charge. The information provided on this page is not intended to constitute legal, accounting, investment or financial advice or solicitation, or the rendering of legal, accounting, consulting, or other professional services of any kind. You should consult with your accountants, counsel, financial representatives, consultants and/or other advisors regarding the extent this information may be useful to you and with respect to any legal, tax, business and/or financial matters or questions. The information provided on this page may contain forward-looking statements which are based upon the FHLBank Chicago’s current expectations and speak only as of the date(s) thereof. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the FHLBank Chicago’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on its website at This page may provide relevant links to other outside web sites unrelated to FHLBank Chicago. FHLBank Chicago is not responsible for such linked sites nor the content of any of the linked sites. You understand that when going to a third-party web site, that site is governed by the third party’s privacy policy and terms of use, and the third party is solely responsible for the content and offerings presented on its website.
In addition, certain information provided on this page speaks only as of the particular date or dates included, and the information may have become out of date. FHLBank Chicago does not undertake an obligation, and disclaims any duty, to update any of the information included on this page. Because the situation relating to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, information here may become stale at any given time. Last updated April 10, 2020.