The Mission Driven Bank Fund invests in Texas community bank

May 02, 2025, Cleveland – The Mission Driven Bank Fund (MDBF) today announced an investment in Bright Force Holding, the bank holding company for American Bank, a Minority-Depository Institution providing financial services to underserved communities in Texas. American Bank plans to use the capital to expand credit access to minority-owned small business and consumers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the surrounding region.

“The Fund is pleased to support the ongoing efforts of American Bank in promoting financial opportunity within both the Dallas footprint and nationally,” said Paul Welch, portfolio manager of the Fund. “We are in discussions with a number of other mission-aligned banks and see renewed interest from potential investments.”

The investment marks the ninth deployment for MDBF. The Fund is raising capital through May 2025, and will continue to invest in and provide technical services to mission-aligned banks for years to come.

About The Mission Driven Bank Fund

The Mission Driven Bank Fund seeks to foster a stronger and more inclusive banking system by investing capital and providing technical services to CDFIs and MDIs that target African American, Native American, Asian, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander communities. The Fund's mission is to drive significant growth and financial resiliency in the mission-driven bank sector that translates into demonstrated progress in closing the racial wealth gap. Elizabeth Park Capital Management, a specialist firm investing in U.S. banks, and Calvert Impact, a leading impact investing firm, are the Fund’s general partner. Strategic Value Bank Partners is a subadvisor, and Performance Trust is a capital advisor and structuring agent for the Fund. For more information, visit missiondrivenbankfund.org.

About American Bank

Founded in 1974, American Bank was acquired by Bright Force Holding, Inc. in 2019 and became a Minority-Depository Institution at that time. The Bank has grown from $55 million in assets at the time of acquisition, to over $600 million in assets by delivering personalized service and innovative solutions for both businesses and consumers. American Bank’s primary lines of business include its nationwide hospitality lending program and auto lending to the underbanked in the Dallas-Fort Worth market. The Bank currently operates in three locations – at its main office on West Northwest Highway in Dallas, and through its Irving and Frisco Texas branches. It is an equal housing lender and a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). For more information, visit www.abdallas.bank.

Media inquiries: Greg Joslyn at greg.joslyn@lowecom.com; (414) 376-7275

This press release does not constitute an offering of interests in the Fund, which will be made only to qualified investors pursuant to the Fund's offering documents. Nothing contained in this press release should be relied upon as a promise or representation as to the future performance of the Fund. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy of statements, estimates, targets, and/or projections herein, nor as to the ultimate success of the Fund or the external conditions and circumstances under which the Fund will operate. Prospective investors must not rely upon any matters in this release. The activities undertaken by the Fund may differ from those described above due to unexpected external circumstances or otherwise. Moreover, past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Certain statements made in this release are "forward looking statements." These forward-looking statements are not predictions of future performance, conditions or results, and are inherently uncertain and subject to numerous risks, many of which are outside the Fund's and its advisors' control. There is no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements.