FHLBank Chicago Releases 2025 Impact Report, Highlighting Expanded Support for Housing and Community Development Across Illinois and Wisconsin

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) today released its 2025 Impact Report, highlighting another year of meaningful support for member financial institutions and communities across Illinois and Wisconsin. As housing affordability challenges persisted and economic conditions remained dynamic, FHLBank Chicago continued to provide the liquidity, funding, and community investment programs its over 600 members rely on to drive local impact.

Through human interest stories and data-driven insights, the report illustrates how FHLBank Chicago is Investing in Opportunities—delivering reliable funding, expanding access to affordable housing, supporting economic development, and strengthening its workforce and partnerships.

In 2025, FHLBank Chicago funded $3.3 billion in discounted Community Advances and delivered $106 million in housing and economic development grants—supporting the creation or preservation of more than 14,800 housing units and over 14,700 jobs.

“Housing affordability remains a pressing concern across our district, and our members continue to navigate a complex economic environment,” said Michael Ericson, President and CEO of FHLBank Chicago. “In 2025, we remained a trusted partner—providing the liquidity, funding, and community investment resources needed to make a meaningful difference. This report reflects the strength of those partnerships and the impact we are achieving together.”

FHLBank Chicago continued to advance housing and community development through its core programs. In 2025, the Affordable Housing Program General Fund helped finance 37 housing projects, while the Downpayment Plus^® Programs provided $43 million in assistance in partnership with 233 members to help more than 4,500 individuals and families achieve homeownership. Community First^® grant programs also addressed housing and community development needs across the district, supporting paid internships and fellowships for affordable housing developers and expanding services for low- and moderate-income aspiring homebuyers at 44 housing counseling agencies.

FHLBank Chicago also enhanced its community lending offerings in 2025 by launching a redesigned Community Advance product, streamlining access to discounted funding and expanding eligibility to better support housing and economic development projects.

Beyond funding, FHLBank Chicago strengthened its role as a housing leader by convening partners across Illinois and Wisconsin, including a multi-year collaboration with the Urban Institute to address housing supply challenges and identify data-driven solutions.

FHLBank Chicago also maintained its focus on operational excellence, investing in employee development and organizational capabilities to ensure continued responsiveness, innovation, and resilience for the benefit of its members.

To view the full report and explore the stories behind the numbers, visit fhlbc.com/impact.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago

FHLBank Chicago is a regional bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. FHLBanks are government-sponsored enterprises created by Congress to ensure access to low-cost funding for their member financial institutions, with a focus on providing solutions that support the housing and community development needs of members’ customers. FHLBank Chicago is a self-capitalizing cooperative, owned by its Illinois and Wisconsin members, including commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, savings institutions and community development financial institutions. To learn more about FHLBank Chicago, please visit fhlbc.com.

“Downpayment Plus” and “Community First” are registered trademarks of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago.