Rocket Pro TPO announced today it has launched the Certified Community Lender (CCL) Certification Program, covering the $395-$495 fee for brokers to earn their CCL certification through the National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America (NAMMBA).
Rocket Pro TPO made the announcement late this morning at the NAMMBA CONNECT 2024 conference.
The initiative – as a partnership with NAMMBA – aims to empower brokers, particularly those serving underserved communities like single women, communities of color, millennials, and the LGBTQ community, by providing certifications and access to webinars. The program is slated to last for 12 months, with the goal of Rocket Pro TPO providing 3,000 mortgage brokers with the opportunity to become CCL-certified.
According to Rocket Pro TPO Executive Vice President Mike Fawaz, TPO will cover the amount between $395 (NAMMBA member fee) to $495 (non-member fee) of the certification fee for mortgage brokers, which will allow them to complete their CCL through NAMMBA. The one-time fee is for the on-demand class and once certified, brokers do not have to re-certify.
Tony Thompson, NAMMBA's founder and CEO, commented "At NAMMBA, we are committed to empowering loan originators to better serve their communities, and the Certified Community Lender (CCL) Certification Program is a vital step in that mission. Rocket Pro TPO's decision to cover the fee for this certification underscores its dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion in the mortgage industry."
A Rocket spokesperson said the certification program is “an eight-course, on-demand training that focuses on business development skills and best practices to serve the $2.9T multicultural market. Additionally, brokers who enroll in the program will also receive additional training hosted by NAMMBA to support their business development and social impact outreach initiatives.”
Included in the CCL certification and fee coverage is a ticket for NAMMBA Connect 2025 and a one-year membership for NAMMBA. Fawaz said that any broker can apply and can do so on NAMMBA’s website.
“This is putting certified lenders in communities, specifically the underserved communities,” Fawaz said in an exclusive interview with NMP prior to the announcement. “I think there's an opportunity there [especially in] communities including single women, communities of color, millennials, or LGBTQ. I think those are all communities that are underserved. This is just us empowering almost 3,000 certified community lenders.”
Fawaz also confirmed that brokers can benefit from the CCL fee coverage without needing to partner with Rocket.
“It's just us investing in the broker community to be part of our continued investment,” he said. “At TPO, we are on a mission to provide certainty and freedom for broker partners. It's just another way for us to invest in this community and really show brokers an opportunity to be able to get certified in certain communities and become experts in those communities.”
Fawaz added that this was a goal for Rocket Pro TPO at the start of 2024.
“Earning the partnership has been our mission all year,” he said. “This is just another way for us to earn our broker's partnership by investing in them.”
Thompson echoed Fawaz's sentiment. "By making this certification more accessible, we are equipping loan originators with the knowledge and tools they need to drive positive change and meet the unique needs of minority communities across the nation,” he said.
