The call for papers for the 2022 Community Banking in the 21st Century research and policy conference is now open through June 3. This year marks the 10th anniversary for the conference, which is sponsored by the Federal Reserve, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC).
The goal of the conference is to bring together leading academics, community bank executives, policymakers, and senior leadership from the Fed, CSBS and the FDIC. Past conference programs are available here (https://www.communitybanking.org/conferences). The conference will be hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis on September 28-29, 2022. We are currently planning for a fully in-person conference and will monitor the situation with COVID-19. All in-person attendees will be required to be fully up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations and will be required to provide proof of vaccination. Given the high level of interest in the conference proceedings, a virtual option will also be made available. If necessary, we will adjust the proceedings to ensure we are in compliance with CDC guidelines and state and local ordinances.
The conference committee is interested in research that explores all topics related to community banking, and we especially welcome empirical and policy-oriented papers. Each paper selected for the conference will be considered for the award recognizing the paper making the most significant contribution to banking research. We invite papers or detailed abstracts that explore all aspects of community banking including, but not limited to:
The role of community banks in the U.S. financial system
• the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated policy response on community banks
• provision of financial services to households, small businesses and small farms
• impact of community banks on local/state economic activity
Challenges and opportunities faced by community banks
• competition from large banks, credit unions, and nonbanks, including financial technology firms
• responding to the effects of climate change
• keeping up with rapid technological advances
• operational risks
• collaborations/partnerships with financial technology firms
Advantages and disadvantages of the community bank business model
• bank consolidation
• benefits of local knowledge and strong relationships
• costs of operating at a small scale
• funding and liquidity
The effects of government policy on community banks
• quantifying regulatory and compliance costs
• intended and unintended effects of regulatory requirements
• antitrust policy and community banks
Paper Submission Procedure: Submissions should be submitted using the following link (https://frbstlspra.gov1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9NYv1V0KliqIarA). If you have any questions or need assistance with the submission link, please email conference@communitybanking.org. The deadline to submit a detailed abstract or completed paper is by end of day on Friday, June 3, 2022. There is no paper submission fee. Authors of accepted papers will be notified by Friday, July 22, 2022.
