The Community Bank
AI Governance Handbook
The first AI governance guide written for the institutions that need it most — a practical, chapter-by-chapter handbook built for community banks.
Compliance for Community Banking Leaders
Built for Banks That Don't Have a Model Risk Team
Community banks under $10 billion in assets are adopting AI tools, fielding vendor pitches for AI-embedded products, and receiving examiner questions about governance — all without the model risk infrastructure that larger institutions have spent years building.
This handbook is a practical, chapter-by-chapter guide to building AI governance that fits the scale, staffing, and regulatory environment of a community institution. It covers everything from board oversight and policy design to vendor management and audit readiness.
Written by a practitioner currently managing these responsibilities daily. Every framework, template, and recommendation is purpose-built for this handbook, informed by the same regulatory standards and day-to-day realities of community bank governance.
What's Inside the Handbook
The Landscape
- 01The AI Governance Gap in Community Banking
- 02Why Community Banks Can't Afford to Wait
- 03The Regulatory Landscape in Depth
Building the Framework
- 04Designing Your AI Governance Structure
- 05The AI Policy Suite
- 06AI Risk Assessment: A Practical Methodology
- 07Vendor AI Governance
Implementation
- 08The IT Leader's Playbook
- 09The Governance Committee's Operating Manual
- 10The Board's Role in AI Governance
- 11AI Ethics and Responsible AI in Practice
- 12AI Use Cases in Community Banking
Sustaining Governance
- 13Building an AI-Aware Culture
- 14Internal Audit and AI
- 15Future-Proofing Your AI Governance
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01
90-Day Quick Start
A week-by-week roadmap that takes any institution from zero to a foundational AI governance program in one quarter — inventory, risk classification, policy adoption, committee charter, and first board report.
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02
Six Case Studies
From shadow AI discoveries and vendor upgrades nobody noticed, to fair lending findings and the board that asked the right question. Each scenario walks through the governance challenge, the response, and the lesson.
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03
Worked Examples
Fully completed samples of key governance documents — so you can see what “good” looks like before building your own.
Who This Book Is For
Tailored guidance for every role responsible for AI governance at your institution.
Board Members & Directors
A clear framework for board-level AI oversight, with a reference guide built specifically for directors who need to ask the right questions.
CEOs & Senior Executives
The operational context to make AI strategy decisions your compliance and IT teams can actually execute.
Governance & Risk Committees
Meeting agendas, decision criteria, dashboards, and challenge questions — the operating manual for overseeing AI adoption with a structured framework.
Compliance Officers
Current guidance from FDIC, OCC, CFPB, Federal Reserve, and state agencies, with a compliance mapping matrix.
IT & Technology Officers
The governance architecture, policy vocabulary, and documentation tools to translate technical risk into language your board understands.
Internal Auditors
An AI audit program designed for community bank audit teams — practical, proportionate, and exam-ready.
Reserve Your Copy
The handbook launches this summer. Drop your email and we'll notify you the moment it's available.
No spam. Just a single notification when the book is ready.
