Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago website earns 2026 WebAward. Published by Spinutech on September 9, 2026 How do you turn a complex financial institution's website into an experience that's easier to navigate, more engaging for members, and better at communicating its broader impact? That was the challenge behind Spinutech's work with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago - and the resulting website has now earned a 2026 WebAward for Financial Services Standard of Excellence. The recognition from the Web Marketing Association honors an extensive website transformation encompassing strategy, UX, design, content, technology, search, and security. From information repository to member experience. The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago serves financial institutions throughout Illinois and Wisconsin, making its website an important resource for members seeking products, rates, resources, news, and other critical information. But the previous experience had become difficult to navigate. Information was not always readily accessible, user journeys frequently reached dead ends, and the site did not fully reflect the organization's brand or communicate the broader impact of its work. Spinutech partnered with FHLBank Chicago to rethink that experience. The strategy centered on creating a website capable of continuing to serve existing members' functional needs while doing more to educate prospective members, engage additional audiences, and tell the organization's story. That meant moving beyond a homepage primarily focused on rates and member information toward an experience that leads with impact while keeping essential resources accessible. The redesigned experience includes: * More intentional user journeys designed around the needs of multiple audience personas. * Expanded navigation and interlinking helping visitors move beyond individual pages and more easily explore relevant products, resources, and information. * A greater emphasis on impact storytelling highlighting how FHLBank Chicago supports its members and communities. * A dedicated member resources experience bringing important information together more intuitively. * A modernized visual design incorporating more of the organization's brand, color palette, photography, and people-focused storytelling. * Improved site search making complex information easier to discover. * A modernized technology stack and integration approach creating a stronger technical foundation for the experience. The result is more than a refreshed interface. It is a digital hub designed to strengthen member engagement while helping FHLBank Chicago more clearly communicate who it is, what it does, and the impact it creates. "Financial institutions often have an enormous amount of valuable information to communicate, but complexity can't become the user's problem," said Kevin Hourigan, President of Spinutech. "Our work with FHLBank Chicago was about taking that complexity and turning it into a more intuitive digital experience - one that serves members while also giving the organization a stronger platform for telling its story and demonstrating its impact." Designing around complex financial audiences. Unlike a traditional lead-generation website, FHLBank Chicago's digital experience has to serve several distinct audiences with different objectives. That required Spinutech's team to think beyond a single conversion path. Content and navigation were reorganized around those different needs, while reusable modules and stronger interlinking help guide users deeper into the experience. The visual system was also expanded to better reflect FHLBank Chicago's existing brand guidelines, incorporating more color and prominent people-focused photography. The technical foundation received similar attention, including an upgraded technology stack, improved search capabilities, integrations with external systems, and enhanced security practices. "Some of the most rewarding website projects are the ones where there's a lot of complexity beneath the surface," said Maggie Moss, Vice President of Web Services for Spinutech. "FHLBank Chicago serves multiple audiences with very different information needs, so its job was to make that complexity feel simple to the user. "This award recognizes a tremendous amount of strategy, design, content, and development work from both teams." A track record of Excellence in Financial Services. The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago website is one of three Spinutech websites honored in the 2026 WebAwards and one of two receiving the Financial Services Standard of Excellence. It also builds on Spinutech's extensive experience supporting Federal Home Loan Banks and other financial services organizations with complex digital ecosystems. Whether the challenge is simplifying navigation, modernizing technology, strengthening security, improving content discovery, or creating a better way to communicate with members, the objective remains the same: Turn complexity into a digital experience that works harder for both the organization and the people it serves. Looking to modernize your financial services website? Let's talk.

FHLBank Chicago and WHEDA recognize Housing Counseling grants supporting milwaukee-area homebuyers. August 20, 2026 at 14:16 PM EDT i This article is third-party content and does not represent the views of this site. Tamar Securities, LLC make no guarantees regarding its accuracy or completeness. Check presentation celebrates three housing counseling agencies helping Wisconsin families prepare for sustainable homeownership The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) joined the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) today in Milwaukee to recognize three of the 14 Wisconsin organizations receiving grants through the Community First(R) Housing Counseling Resource Program (HCRP): Acts Housing, Housing Resources Inc. and United Community Center. Representatives from FHLBank Chicago, WHEDA, Acts Housing, Housing Resources Inc. and United Community Center gather in Milwaukee for a check presentation recognizing grant funding through FHLBank Chicago's Community First(R) Housing Counseling Resource Program. The grants, funded by FHLBank Chicago and administered by WHEDA in Wisconsin, expand access to housing counseling services that prepare individuals and families for successful, sustainable homeownership and support FHLBank Chicago members with a pipeline of mortgage-ready applicants. The HCRP strengthens the capacity of HUD-certified housing counseling agencies across Illinois and Wisconsin. FHLBank Chicago funds the program through partnerships with WHEDA in Wisconsin and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) in Illinois, helping agencies provide financial education, credit preparation, homebuyer education and individualized guidance for prospective and current homeowners. "Successful homeownership requires more than overcoming affordability barriers. It also requires preparation, trusted guidance and local organizations that can meet families where they are," said Katie Naftzger, SVP and Community Investment Officer at FHLBank Chicago. "Through HCRP and our partnerships with WHEDA and IHDA, we are proud to support agencies like Acts Housing, Housing Resources Inc. and United Community Center as they help more Wisconsin families take informed, confident steps toward homeownership." Since its launch in 2022, through year-end 2025, the HCRP has awarded $13 million to strengthen housing counseling across Illinois and Wisconsin. Supported agencies provided services to more than 105,000 households, with nearly 9,000 achieving homeownership. In 2025, the program supported 44 HUD-certified housing counseling agencies across the two states. "WHEDA brings deep expertise and relationships across Wisconsin, while housing counseling agencies provide trusted and personal guidance directly in the communities they serve," said Elmer Moore Jr., CEO and Executive Director of WHEDA. "These grants strengthen that network and help more Wisconsin families confidently navigate the path to successful homeownership." Acts Housing, Housing Resources Inc. and United Community Center will use the funding to strengthen housing counseling services for individuals and families in the Milwaukee area. "This funding strengthens our ability to provide individualized guidance that helps people prepare financially and navigate the homebuying process," said T.J. Cobb, VP Programs at Acts Housing. "That preparation can make a meaningful difference as families work toward successful homeownership." The impact of housing counseling is reflected in homebuyers like Sandra Smith, who received counseling through Acts Housing while preparing to purchase a home. Sandra also received a $10,000 Downpayment Plus(R)(DPP(R) grant from FHLBank Chicago through member Great Midwest Bank in Brookfield, Wisconsin, to help with down payment and closing costs. "Housing counseling helped me understand the process, prepare financially and feel confident about the decisions I was making," said Sandra. "Having that support made homeownership feel achievable." The HCRP is part of FHLBank Chicago's broader approach to expanding homeownership opportunities through its member-owned cooperative model. By strengthening housing counseling agencies and connecting prospective homebuyers with trusted guidance earlier in the process, the program helps create a stronger path from financial preparation to mortgage financing. Programs like DPP provide additional support along that path, helping eligible homebuyers with down payment and closing costs. 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. Community First, Downpayment Plus and DPP are registered trademarks of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago. Contacts. 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