Community Bankers of Washington

What Community Bankers of Washington does

Community Bankers of Washington (CBW) is a 501-style nonprofit trade association founded in 1989 (originally as WICBA, renamed in 2007) and headquartered in Lacey, Washington. CBW serves as the state's only organization dedicated exclusively to advocating for the interests of independent community banks and their customers, with membership penetration exceeding 70% of Washington's community banks and affiliation to the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) for federal-level policy reach.

The association's core offerings are organized around three pillars — advocacy, education, and peer networking. Advocacy includes state legislative representation on issues such as the credit union tax exemption and federal regulatory reform. Education is delivered through the annual CBW ConnectFest convention (September 21–23, 2026 at Ilani Resort), the Northwest Conference Series virtual conferences, certification programs, and 200+ live/on-demand webinars via the Community Bankers Webinar Network. Peer networking runs through three specialized groups — CBW FAN (Finance & Accounting), CBW FORCE (Fraud, Operations & Risk), and CBW BOND (BSA Operations) — supported by the Bankers Helping Bankers digital collaboration platform, the Compliance Pathways compliance tool, the Preferred Provider Directory, and the Northwest Financial Associations Trust employee benefits plan.

CBW's revenue model is membership-driven and event-driven, with three pricing tiers: Bank Members (dues undisclosed), Associate Members at $750/year for product/service providers, and Affiliate Bank Members at $750/year for out-of-state banks with a Washington presence. Secondary revenue comes from event sponsorships (Diamond tier at $10,000 down to Corporate at $1,800) and event registrations (e.g., $400 per NW Conference Series session; $875 for non-member bankers at ConnectFest). Distribution is direct and relationship-driven, with the President & CEO and member services staff leading recruitment through events, board-level engagement, and existing member referrals; CBW operates with a lean staff (CEO Kathy Swenson and Member Services Manager Janel Chapman among named personnel) and uses Novi AMS as its core association management technology.

Name

Community Bankers of Washington

Legal name

Community Bankers of Washington

Website

https://communitybankers-wa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Community Bankers of Washington is a nonprofit trade association serving Washington State community banks with state-level advocacy, professional education, peer networking, and compliance resources, claiming over 70% market penetration among WA community banks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Banking Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAHACAA

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) & Meeting Planners

SECONDARYFSABAEAL

Federations/Centrals & Cooperative Banking Networks (2nd-Tier Co-ops)

Financial & Insurance/Banking (Commerical, Retail & Consumer)/Community & Cooperative Banking (Credit Unions, Mutuals)

SECONDARYTHAHAJAL

Finance, Economics & Public Administration Congresses

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Association, Government & Academic Congresses

Keywords

• Community banking advocacy
• Trade association services
• Regulatory compliance resources
• Peer networking platforms
• Professional banking education

Headquarters

HQ city

Lacey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from Associate Members at $750/year. Bank Member and Affiliate Bank Member dues structure not publicly disclosed.
2. Convention & Event Sponsorship: Sponsorship revenue from annual CBW ConnectFest and other events. Sponsorship tiers range from $1,800 (Corporate) to $10,000 (Diamond), plus additional opportunities like board meeting sponsorships at $1,300-$1,500 each.
3. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from registration fees for virtual conferences (e.g., $400 per session for NW Conference Series) and annual convention ($875 for non-member bankers for ConnectFest 2026).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

A nonprofit membership-based trade association that advocates for and serves Washington State community banks through legislative representation, professional education, peer networking, compliance resources, and group employee benefits. Members access annual conventions, virtual conferences, peer collaboration groups, certification programs, and a preferred provider directory. The organization is funded primarily through membership dues, event registration fees, and sponsorships.

Product overview

Community Bankers of Washington operates as a member-driven association offering a comprehensive suite of services for Washington's community banks. The organization's offerings center on three core pillars: advocacy, education, and peer networking. For advocacy, CBW provides legislative representation and regulatory guidance. Education offerings include the annual ConnectFest convention, the Northwest Conference Series virtual conferences, financial education webinars, certification programs, and the DFI Financial Leaders Program. Peer networking is delivered through three specialized networks: CBW FAN (Finance & Accounting), CBW FORCE (Fraud, Operations & Risk), and CBW BOND (BSA/AML). CBW also provides compliance support through Compliance Pathways, an exclusive networking platform (Bankers Helping Bankers), a Preferred Provider Directory, and employee benefits through the Northwest Financial Associations Trust. Membership types include Bank Members, Associate Members, and Affiliate Bank Members, with various sponsorship and event opportunities available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CBW ConnectFest

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBW is affiliated with ICBA, providing members with access to national regulatory and legislative advocacy resources. ICBA provides education programs, policy advocacy at the federal level, and collaborative opportunities including ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator and ICBA Connect platform. CBW Board member John Manolides serves as ICBA State Director.
• Northwest Financial Associations (NWFA) Employee Benefits TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough NWFA Trust, CBW members access medical, dental, life, and disability insurance programs. The Trust is an Association Health Plan providing high-quality, affordable employee benefits to financial services employers in Washington through Premera Blue Cross and Kaiser Permanente.
• Compliance PathwayscoreTechnology or IntegrationCompliance Pathways offers practical tools, resources, and training modules for community bank compliance. Developed with assistance from focus groups of compliance managers and executives. Provides plain-language solutions to regulatory compliance challenges with over 100 years of combined community bank knowledge.
• Bankers Helping BankerscoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive online platform for community bankers created by FedFis and Independent Bankers Association of Texas in collaboration with state community banking associations nationwide. Provides chat function, FinTegration Strategist tool for technology road mapping, fintech directory, and vendor due diligence.
• Washington Department of Financial Institutions (DFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBW collaborates with WA DFI on advocacy, regulatory updates, and the DFI Financial Leaders Program for college students. DFI executives participate in CBW events and legislative conferences.
• Community Bankers Webinar NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred provider offering over 200 live and on-demand webinars for member education. Live and on-demand webinars with no expiration on on-demand purchases.
• Federal Home Loan Bank of Des MoinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFHLB Des Moines provides liquidity access information and IRR education through CBW conference sessions. Presents on FHLB collateral, testing with Fed, and current state of affairs.
• IntraFi NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred provider offering deposit placement services and network solutions for community banks. Listed as CBW preferred provider and convention sponsor.
• ShazamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred provider and payments network for community banks. Provides speakers for CBW conferences on fraud prevention, DocuCommand document management, and social engineering topics.
• ICBA PaymentsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred provider and convention sponsor offering payment processing solutions for community banks.
• ICBA CRA SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred provider offering Community Reinvestment Act compliance solutions and education for member banks.
• ICBA SecuritiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred provider offering securities and investment services for community banks. Provides market outlook and interest rate education through CBW conference sessions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Bankers Association (ABA): National trade association representing the entire U.S. banking industry. Comparable as a banking industry association with advocacy and education programs, but significantly larger in scope and resources than CBW, and not focused exclusively on community banks.
• Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA): National trade association for community banks and CBW's parent affiliate. Directly comparable as the umbrella organization providing federal-level advocacy, education, and preferred-provider programs that CBW members access; CBW functions as a state chapter within ICBA's broader network.

Direct peers

• Community Bankers Association of Ohio: Ohio state community banking trade association. Directly comparable to CBW as a state-level association offering advocacy, education, peer networking, and convention/sponsorship programming to community banks in Ohio.
• Community Bankers Association of Georgia (CBA GA): Georgia state community banking association. Directly comparable to CBW as a state-level association delivering advocacy, education, peer networking, and an annual convention to community banks in its state.
• Community Bankers Association of Illinois (CBAI): Illinois state community banking trade association. Directly comparable to CBW in mission, structure, and product mix — provides advocacy, peer groups, conventions, and preferred-provider services to Illinois community banks.
• Independent Community Bankers of North Dakota (ICBND): North Dakota state community banking association. Directly comparable to CBW as a state-level ICBA-affiliated trade association offering advocacy, education, and peer networking to community banks in a similar-sized state market.
• Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT): State-level community banking association in Texas. Closely comparable to CBW in structure and offerings — runs a similar mix of advocacy, peer networking, education, and event programming, and co-developed the Bankers Helping Bankers platform with CBW.

Regional players

• Washington Bankers Association (WBA): Washington State's broader banking industry trade association. Comparable as a Washington-based banking association, but serves all banks (community, regional, large) rather than focusing exclusively on community banks — the niche CBW dominates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/combankerswa
• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityBankersofWashington
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-bankers-of-washington

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Bankers of Washington