Providence, R.I. — Citizens, through its charitable foundation and in partnership with Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Rhode Island (LISC RI), will invest $40,000 this spring to support community development programs serving the south side of Providence as part of the Growing Communities initiative. Growing Communities, now in its tenth year, is part of Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities, the bank’s signature effort to support local organizations that foster the economic vitality of local communities.
Awards ranging from $2,000 to $9,000 will be made to organizations in Providence for programs that improve the resiliency of neighborhoods and support economic vitality.
“The Growing Communities initiative in partnership with LISC Rhode Island is all about making meaningful impact and catalyzing positive change," said Keith Kelly, President, Rhode Island, Citizens. “The investments we make in Providence will do just that, as the organizations we fund work to address critical economic needs so that residents, and our community as a whole, can prosper today and into the future.”
The 2023 awardees include:
“The Growing Communities program is a vitally important way to support the organizations that are working directly in the community to improve the quality of life for our neighbors,” said Jeanne Cola, executive director of LISC Rhode Island. “As we continue to focus on the resiliency of our communities, this program has offered important help at a critical time. We’re pleased to be able to support these key community organizations.”
Growing Communities is designed to promote and invest in neighborhood revitalization based on the existing assets of a community. These investments support small business, community development and job creation, as well as making an area more livable for its residents. The initiative was originally launched by Citizens in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2010. In Rhode Island, the Growing Communities program has helped revitalize neighborhoods like Olneyville in Providence, Central Falls, Pawtucket, Woonsocket and Newport.
About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $226.7 billion in assets as of December 31, 2022. 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 full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,300 ATMs and approximately 1,200 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. 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 www.citizensbank.com or visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.
About Citizens’ Foundations
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. funds and operates two Foundations—the Citizens Charitable Foundation and the Citizens Philanthropic Foundation. Both foundations have missions rooted in the belief that citizenship is at the heart of Citizens’ identity, and when people and communities reach their potential, we all thrive. The Foundations provide support to nonprofit organizations that are addressing the bank’s primary giving areas of fostering financial empowerment and strengthening communities through economic and workforce development.
About the Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a national nonprofit that equips communities with the capital, program strategy and know-how to become places where people can thrive. Since 1991, LISC Rhode Island has invested nearly $.5 billion in Rhode Island and attracted an additional $1.5 billion from public and private sources resulting in more than 9,100 affordable homes and apartments and more than 2.5 million square feet of retail and community space. For more information, visit www.rilisc.org.