(a) Definition of CRA communication. A CRA communication is any of the following—

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(1) Any written or oral comment or testimony provided to a Federal banking agency concerning the adequacy of the performance under the CRA of the insured depository institution, any affiliated insured depository institution, or any CRA affiliate.

(2) Any written comment submitted to the insured depository institution that discusses the adequacy of the performance under the CRA of the institution and must be included in the institution’s CRA public file.

(3) Any discussion or other contact with the insured depository institution or any affiliate about—

(i) Providing (or refraining from providing) written or oral comments or testimony to any Federal banking agency concerning the adequacy of the performance under the CRA of the insured depository institution, any affiliated insured depository institution, or any CRA affiliate;

(ii) Providing (or refraining from providing) written comments to the insured depository institution that concern the adequacy of the institution’s performance under the CRA and must be included in the institution’s CRA public file; or

(iii) The adequacy of the performance under the CRA of the insured depository institution, any affiliated insured depository institution, or any CRA affiliate.

(b) Discussions or contacts that are not CRA communications—(1) Timing of contacts with a Federal banking agency. An oral or written communication with a Federal banking agency is not a CRA communication if it occurred more than 3 years before the parties entered into the agreement.

(2) Timing of contacts with insured depository institutions and affiliates. A communication with an insured depository institution or affiliate is not a CRA communication if the communication occurred—

(i) More than 3 years before the parties entered into the agreement, in the case of any written communication;

(ii) More than 3 years before the parties entered into the agreement, in the case of any oral communication in which the NGEP discusses providing (or refraining from providing) comments or testimony to a Federal banking agency or written comments that must be included in the institution’s CRA public file in connection with a request to, or agreement by, the institution or affiliate to take (or refrain from taking) any action that is in fulfillment of the CRA; or

(iii) More than 1 year before the parties entered into the agreement, in the case of any other oral communication not described in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section.

(3) Knowledge of communication by insured depository institution or affiliate. (i) A communication is only a CRA communication under paragraph (a) of this section if the insured depository institution or its affiliate has knowledge of the communication under this paragraph (b)(3)(ii) or (iii) of this section.

(ii) Communication with insured depository institution or affiliate. An insured depository institution or affiliate has knowledge of a communication by the NGEP to the institution or its affiliate under this paragraph only if one of the following representatives of the insured depository institution or any affiliate has knowledge of the communication—

(A) An employee who approves, directs, authorizes, or negotiates the agreement with the NGEP; or

(B) An employee designated with responsibility for compliance with the CRA or executive officer if the employee or executive officer knows that the institution or affiliate is negotiating, intends to negotiate, or has been informed by the NGEP that it expects to request that the institution or affiliate negotiate an agreement with the NGEP.

(iii) Other communications. An insured depository institution or affiliate is deemed to have knowledge of—

(A) Any testimony provided to a Federal banking agency at a public meeting or hearing;

(B) Any comment submitted to a Federal banking agency that is conveyed in writing by the agency to the insured depository institution or affiliate; and

(C) Any written comment submitted to the insured depository institution that must be and is included in the institution’s CRA public file.

(4) Communication where NGEP has knowledge. A NGEP has a CRA communication with an insured depository institution or affiliate only if any of the following individuals has knowledge of the communication—

(i) A director, employee, or member of the NGEP who approves, directs, authorizes, or negotiates the agreement with the insured depository institution or affiliate;

(ii) A person who functions as an executive officer of the NGEP and who knows that the NGEP is negotiating or intends to negotiate an agreement with the insured depository institution or affiliate; or

(iii) Where the NGEP is an individual, the NGEP.

(c) Examples of CRA communications—(1) Examples of actions that are CRA communications. The following are examples of CRA communications. These examples are not exclusive and assume that the communication occurs within the relevant time period as described in paragraph (b)(1) or (2) of this section and the appropriate representatives have knowledge of the communication as specified in paragraphs (b)(3) and (4) of this section.

(i) Example 1. A NGEP files a written comment with a Federal banking agency that states than an insured depository institution successfully addresses the credit needs of its community. The written comment is in response to a general request from the agency for comments on an application of the insured depository institution to open a new branch and a copy of the comment is provided to the institution.

(ii) Examples 2. A NGEP meets with an executive officer of an insured depository institution and states that the institution must improve its CRA performance.

(iii) Example 3. A NGEP meets with an executive officer of an insured depository institution and states that the institution needs to make more mortgage loans in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods in its community.

(iv) Example 4. A bank holding company files an application with a Federal banking agency to acquire an insured depository institution. Two weeks later, the NGEP meets with an executive officer of the bank holding company to discuss the adequacy of the performance under the CRA of the target insured depository institution. The insured depository institution was an affiliate of the bank holding company at the time the NGEP met with the target institution. (See § 346.11(a).) Accordingly, the NGEP had a CRA communication with an affiliate of the bank holding company.

(2) Examples of actions that are not CRA communications. The following are examples of actions that are not by themselves CRA communications. These examples are not exclusive.

(i) Example 1. A NGEP provides to a Federal banking agency comments or testimony concerning an insured depository institution or affiliate in response to a direct request by the agency for comments or testimony from that NGEP. Direct requests for comments or testimony do not include a general invitation by a Federal banking agency for comments or testimony from the public in connection with a CRA performance evaluation of, or application for a deposit facility (as defined in section 803 of the CRA (12 U.S.C. § 2902(3)) by, an insured depository institution or an application by a company to acquire an insured depository institution.

(ii) Example 2. A NGEP makes a statement concerning an insured depository institution or affiliate at a widely attended conference or seminar regarding a general topic. A public or private meeting, public hearing, or other meeting regarding one or more specific institutions, affiliates or transactions involving an application for a deposit facility is not considered a widely attended conference or seminar.

(iii) Example 3. A NGEP, such as a civil rights group, community group providing housing and other services in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, veterans organization, community theater group, or youth organization, sends a fundraising letter to insured depository institutions and to other businesses in its community. The letter encourages all businesses in the community to meet their obligation to assist in making the local community a better place to live and work by supporting the fundraising efforts of the NGEP.

(iv) Example 4. A NGEP discusses with an insured depository institution or affiliate whether particular loans, services, investments, community development activities, or other activities are generally eligible for consideration by a Federal banking agency under the CRA. The NGEP and insured depository institution or affiliate do not discuss the adequacy of the CRA performance of the insured depository institution or affiliate.

(v) Example 5. A NGEP engaged in the sale or purchase of loans in the secondary market sends a general offering circular to financial institutions offering to sell or purchase a portfolio of loans. An insured depository institution that receives the offering circular discusses with the NGEP the types of loans included in the loan pool, whether such loans are generally eligible for consideration under the CRA, and which loans are made to borrowers in the institution’s local community. The NGEP and insured depository institution do not discuss the adequacy of the institution’s CRA performance.

(d) Multiparty covered agreements. (1) A NGEP that is a party to a covered agreement that involves multiple NGEPs is not required to comply with the requirements of this part if—

(i) The NGEP has not had a CRA communication; and

(ii) No representative of the NGEP identified in paragraph (b)(4) of this section has knowledge at the time of the agreement that another NGEP that is a party to the agreement has had a CRA communication.

(2) An insured depository institution or affiliate that is a party to a covered agreement that involves multiple insured depository institutions or affiliates is not required to comply with the disclosure and annual reporting requirements in §§ 346.6 and 346.7 if—

(i) No NGEP that is a party to the agreement has had a CRA communication concerning the insured depository institution or any affiliate; and

(ii) No representative of the insured depository institution or any affiliate identified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section has knowledge at the time of the agreement that an NGEP that is a party to the agreement has had a CRA communication concerning any other insured depository institution or affiliate that is a party to the agreement.