08/04/2020

Citizens Bank is now accepting applications for the 2021 Champions in Action program

Nonprofit will receive $35,000 and public visibility in 2021

PROVIDENCE, R.I-- Citizens Bank has announced the 2021 Champions in Action areas of focus: COVID-19 Relief and Social Equity. The Champions in Action® program provides financial, volunteer and public relations support to local nonprofits that are ready to further their mission and reach the next level throughout the following states: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Eastern Pennsylvania and Western Pennsylvania.

Applications will be accepted August 3 – 21, 2020 from non-profit organizations focused on solving post-pandemic social needs through the delivery of community-based programming. Winners will be announced in January 2021. The Champions in Action award will be presented to a nonprofit organization that is working in collaboration with one or more other organizations to address immediate community needs as the ongoing recovery process throughout our nation and footprint continues.

The non-profit applying for the award should include specific and measurable goals for their program.

Applications can be completed online at www.citizensbank.com/community/champions-in-action.aspx and must be submitted by August 21, 2020.

Social Equity topic applications will be accepted in February 2021 and will target non-profit organizations, partnerships or programs that are focused prioritizing equity & inclusion within our communities through education, advocacy and relevant programming. Social Equity organizations could be working in collaboration with partners, neighborhood groups, schools, or other organizations to address thoughts, concerns and working to achieve balance for its immediate community and those surrounding.

Champions in Action is part of Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities, the bank’s program designed to enhance quality of life and economic vitality in local communities. It provides support for small nonprofit organizations to recognize their contributions to communities throughout Massachusetts.

The selected Champion in Action will receive:

  • $35,000 in unrestricted funds from Citizens Bank;
  • Media coverage from a designated news outlet including public service announcements;
  • Volunteer support from Citizens Bank colleagues;
  • Promotional support highlighting the Champion in Action in Citizens Bank branches;
  • Exposure on the Citizens Bank and designated news outlets websites.

To be eligible for consideration, an organization must:

  • Be a nonprofit organization that addresses the designated social concern within the qualified markets;
  • Provide verification of tax-exempt status under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code; and
  • Have a total operating budget of $5 million or less.

Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities is part of the bank’s broader Citizens Helping Citizens engagement platform through which the bank builds partnerships to develop neighborhoods, transform lives and stimulate economic renewal, with a focus on three key areas: fighting hunger, teaching money management and strengthening communities. Get more information about Citizens Bank’s community initiatives online.

About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $179.9 billion in assets as of June 30, 2020. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a 24/7 customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 2,700 ATMs and approximately 1,000 branches in 11 states in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at http://www.citizensbank.com or visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.


Contact:
Rory Sheehan
781-655-3931
[email protected]

###