MoreThanFair is a community of organizations dedicated to improving access to affordable and inclusive credit for American consumers and small businesses. While access to credit hasn’t improved materially in several decades, we believe that modern technology and data science can now make lending more inclusive, more transparent, and more fair.
Achieving that promise requires a collaborative effort by the private and public sector to ensure that models are properly supervised and rigorously tested under a well-understood framework. With a focused effort, real and lasting progress is possible.
We designed and built a microsite that explains the pitfalls of America's credit system in a compelling, visual way. MTF's branding — from the colors, typography, iconography — was developed entirely by The DataFace team. We did extensive exploration before settling on a design direction.
The narrative is structured in two parts: the first uses data to paint a picture of the current landscape; and the second shows how artificial intelligence and modern technology can dramatically improve outcomes for everybody. We sourced data from a variety of places — the Urban Institute, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Oliver Wyman, and more — to assess the scale and the scope of the problem.
One of the biggest challenges we faced was countering some preconceived notions about AI. We did that through a series of examples that demonstrated AI's potential to actually create a more inclusive future, that helps people across socioeconomic and demographic lines.
Sixteen organizations have already signed up to be part of MTF, with representatives gathering regularly to discuss issues related to America's credit system.
It's also sparked important conversations with lawmakers in Washington. In December, MTF sat down with Isabella Casillas Guzman, the US Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator, to hear how the SBA is tackling the challenges of financial inclusion and equitable access to credit as we head into 2023. In the Q&A session, MoreThanFair members provided examples of how the SBA’s ongoing reform agenda in 7a loan underwriting and SBLC licensing could open up opportunities for underserved businesses that have been overlooked and denied fair credit for far too long.
