Georgia CRA Programs: Community Development for the Military

LMI Support for Service Members, Veterans, and Spouses Through Financial Education

GoVA Foundation provides CRA-qualified military financial education programs across Georgia’s extensive network of military bases and Veteran communities. Through our initiatives, banks can connect with service members, Veterans, and military families seeking banking services and financial education resources through Community Development grants and CRA programs.

Georgia Military Bases & CRA Assessment Areas

Georgia maintains a significant military presence with seven major installations supporting over 89,244 active-duty service members. Fort Moore in Columbus and Fort Eisenhower in Richmond County serve as the largest concentrations, together supporting over 44,878 active-duty personnel.

Major installations and their active-duty populations include:

Fort Moore (Columbus) – 27,000 active duty
Fort Eisenhower (Richmond County) – 17,878 active duty
Fort Stewart (Liberty County) – 19,476 active duty
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay (Kings Bay) – 9,000 active duty
Hunter Army Airfield (Savannah) – 5,709 active duty
Robins Air Force Base (Houston County) – 5,682 active duty
Moody Air Force Base (Lowndes County) – 4,499 active duty

Approximately 40% of active-duty military households qualify as low-to-moderate income (LMI), representing 35,697 service members across Georgia installations who can benefit from targeted military banking services and financial education. Additionally, the state hosts an estimated 44,622 military spouses, calculated as 50% of the active-duty population, many of whom face employment challenges that impact household financial stability.

Military Community Development Impact

The combined military community in Georgia represents a significant demographic presence:

89,244 active-duty service members
44,622 military spouses
673,358 Veterans

This total military-connected population of 807,224 Georgians represents a substantial opportunity for banks to expand their services while meeting CRA obligations. The concentration of these communities near military installations creates natural assessment areas where banks can make meaningful impact through targeted financial education and services.

LMI Military Programs: Supporting Georgia Veterans

Within Georgia’s Veteran population of over 673,000, approximately 134,671 Veterans qualify as LMI households. The highest concentrations of Veterans are found in:

Fulton County – 49,936 Veterans
Cobb County – 40,184 Veterans
Gwinnett County – 39,327 Veterans
DeKalb County – 37,686 Veterans
Chatham County – 27,078 Veterans
Muscogee County – 23,497 Veterans
Richmond County – 21,650 Veterans
Houston County – 21,292 Veterans
Henry County – 18,358 Veterans
Columbia County – 18,038 Veterans

These population centers create distinct opportunities for bank partnerships in these assessment areas through CRA-qualified programs and community development grants.

GoVA Foundation currently has verified-LMI members ready to sponsor in these counties. Complete the form at the bottom of the page for more details.

Military CRA Compliance & Banking Partnerships

GoVA Foundation’s military financial education programs meet FDIC and OCC requirements for CRA compliance while serving Georgia’s military community. Our military banking initiatives satisfy key CRA requirements through:

Geographic Assessment Area Qualification:

Verified LMI census tracts
Documented military banking service areas
Military assessment area mapping

2. Military Community Development Activities:

Military-specific financial education programs
Veteran transition banking services
Military entrepreneur development
VA home loan education

Military Financial Education Results: The Edge Platform

The Edge platform, GoVA Foundation’s digital military financial education hub, is made available free of charge to LMI military community members through Community Development grant funding from bank sponsors. The platform currently serves over 250 active members across Georgia, with 16% verified as LMI households. Our highest membership concentrations align with major military populations in:

Gwinnett County
DeKalb County
Richmond County
Fulton County
Henry County

Military community members receive targeted financial education addressing:

Transition planning for separating service members
Spouse employment and family budgeting
VA home loan education and housing decisions
Small business development for Veterans
Credit building and debt management
Emergency savings strategies for military families
PCS (Permanent Change of Station) Move financial preparation

Georgia CRA-Qualified Military Programs

Banks operating in Georgia can leverage our established military CRA programs to meet CRA goals while making meaningful impact in military communities. We partner with banks, who provide community development grants to sponsor financial literacy among the LMI military community. We provide complete documentation for CRA reporting, including:

Verified LMI status of program participants
Census tract confirmation
LMI Community impact metrics
Assessment area alignment
Quarterly progress reports
Annual LMI impact assessments

Discover immediate opportunities to support LMI military households in your assessment area through our CRA-qualified programs. Our custom reports provide detailed analysis of military demographics, LMI verification, and potential Community Development grant impact through financial education programs.

Explore CRA Opportunities

Discover the impact potential for your bank’s Community Development initiatives. Our customized report reveals:

Number of military households in your assessment area
Financial education needs assessment
Specific opportunities for LMI community investment

Simply share your assessment area, and we’ll prepare a custom report showing how your bank can support military financial wellness while meeting CRA objectives.