BankThink

The new legislation includes a provision sparing lenders from having to pay such fees on Paycheck Protection Program loans, except in cases where they agree in advance with borrower representatives to do so.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin approved the extension of the Main Street Lending Program, which offers loans to midsize companies affected by the pandemic, to Jan. 8.

The Allen, Texas-based institution is crediting a robust on-site medical program with helping keep staff and members safe.

The year 2020 was disruptive and chaotic. And while it derailed or delayed some companies' plans for growth, it also created opportunities for new combinations — or, at the very least, didn't slow them down.

For better or worse, financial firms are often cast as villains, but in this year marked by pandemic, economic hardship and protests over racial injustice, they have often been a force for good. Here are 11 stories (and one gallery) of how banks, fintechs and others in the industry stepped up in 2020 to address inequality and help employees, customers and communities in need.