Citi Foundation Announces Latest Cohort of Community Progress Makers, Granting a Collective $50 Million to Nonprofits Working Locally to Increase Economic Opportunity

NEW YORK – The Citi Foundation (“the Foundation”) today announced the 50 U.S. nonprofits set to receive a collective $50 million in grants as part of the fourth cohort of the Community Progress Makers initiative, doubling its previous commitment.

First launched in 2015, Community Progress Makers provides unrestricted support to visionary organizations that are working to connect low-income communities to greater economic opportunity. With this latest cohort, the Foundation has now committed $115 million in grants to Community Progress Makers since its inception.

Following an open request for proposals (RFP) process announced this past fall, the community organizations selected will each receive $1 million over three years – up from $500,000 over two years in 2021. They will utilize this support to advance affordable housing and access, economic development, financial health and workforce readiness in their local markets of Greater Chicago, Greater New York City, Greater Washington, D.C., Northern California, Southern California and South Florida. Highlights include:

• Branches brings financial health opportunities to low-income students and families throughout Miami-Dade County, Florida through financial wellness coaching, tax assistance, college readiness and youth achievement programs.
• Community Lodgings works in the City of Alexandria, Virginia to lift low-income families from homelessness and housing instability through programming in transitional housing, affordable housing and youth education.   
• Greater Newark Enterprises Corporation provides loan capital and technical assistance to micro and small businesses from underserved and underbanked communities in Northern New Jersey.  
• MyPath expands economic mobility for youth by supporting cities, nonprofits and financial institutions in San Francisco, California to integrate income, banking, saving and credit-building tools into existing youth-serving programs.
• Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services provides innovative affordable housing and financial solutions to underserved individuals, families and communities throughout the Inland Valley counties of San Bernardino, Riverside and Eastern Los Angeles, California.  
• North Lawndale Employment Network reduces barriers to employment by providing job seekers in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois with access to financial tools and literacy training and by partnering with employers in recruiting and worker retention efforts.  

“In listening to our nonprofit grantees over the years about what’s really going to make a difference for them, we doubled down on our funding support and the amount of time we’re dedicating to working with these organizations in an effort to scale their impact,” said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation and Head of Citi Community Investing & Development. “Through funding, collaboration and technical assistance, we’re helping accelerate the innovation of visionary nonprofits with the hope of generating solutions that will drive lasting change for low-income communities.”

All recipients will have access to a learning community where they can collaborate and share best practices, as well as receive technical assistance delivered by national experts and leading researchers.

“For nearly a decade, Urban has collaborated with Community Progress Maker grantees to enhance opportunities for every person and community,” said Sarah Rosen Wartell, President of the Urban Institute. “These organizations are powerful catalysts for change and we are committed to supporting them with data-driven insights that foster effective and sustainable solutions, improving social and economic wellbeing for all.”

“Multi-year, unrestricted funding remains an incredibly effective and underused way to support strong nonprofits,” said Kathleen Enright, President and CEO of Council on Foundations. "By trusting community organizations and affording them some breathing room, Citi Foundation puts them in a better position to make a lasting difference in people’s lives.”

“It’s encouraging to see the Citi Foundation continue to act on an understanding of what we have seen in our research over more than two decades, which is that unrestricted multi-year funding is crucial for nonprofits to be most effective,” said Phil Buchanan, President of the Center for Effective Philanthropy. “I look forward to seeing how these organizations leverage this unrestricted funding and hands-on support to serve local communities.”

For more information, please visit citifoundation.com/cpm and follow the impact these organizations are making at #ProgressMakers on social media.