Bank of the West
/OVERVIEW: Bank of the West funds nonprofit organizations that work to increase affordable housing, homeownership, literacy and employment in low- to moderate-income communities.
IP TAKE: This funder’s grantmaking may be geographically limited, but it does accept letters of inquiry from organizations dedicated to supporting low- and moderate-income individuals and communities, making it a more accessible corporate funder. If an organization’s proposal is selected, it will be invited to complete a full on-line grant application. It’s a moderately accessible funder.
PROFILE: Based in San Francisco, the Bank of the West Community Contributions program is the philanthropic arm of Bank of the West, a subsidiary of the international banking giant BNP Paribas. It works to “help meet the needs of the communities we serve by supporting nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving quality of life.” The program’s current areas of focus are financial capability; small business support and entrepreneurism; environment, climate and energy transition; and affordable housing. Grantmaking prioritizes organizations and initiatives that “benefit low- to moderate-income individuals and communities” and is geographically limited to specific counties in the 20 states where the program’s parent bank operates. Like many corporate funders, Bank of the West does not give many details about its grantmaking interests or activity on its website. It maintains a broad grantmaking approach in its funding areas in order to entertain a wider range of organizations.
Grants for Work and Opportunity
Bank of the West’s grants for financial capability, small business support and entrepreneurism support financial education, management training programs, job training, and vocational programs, including “literacy and basic-skills education for low- to moderate-income adults.” One major grantee is Playa Vista Job Opportunities and Business Services (PVJOBS), an “employment agent for extremely motivated low-income populations,” including “veterans, adults with employment challenges and youth who have been involved with the criminal justice system.”
Grants for Housing and Community Development
Bank of the West’s Affordable Housing grants go to support “creation, preservation or rehabilitation” of affordable housing; homeownership, credit counseling, asset creation, and preservation programs programs for low- to moderate-income individuals; and “financing services and technical assistance programs for small businesses and farms.” In a recent year, Bank of the West provided $132 million in low-income housing tax credits to create and preserve almost 3,000 affordable housing units.
Grants for Climate Change and Marine Conservation
Bank of the West’s grantmaking for environment, climate and energy transition is its newest focus area. Still in its earliest stages, the program has forged partnerships with Sustainable Surf, the Sustainable Ocean Alliance and the Conservation Alliance.
Important Grant Details:
According to its website, Bank of the West has made about $6 million in grant to about 350 nonprofits in a recent year. It is unclear what portion of this figure consists of low-cost loans or other types of investments. For additional information about this funder’s work, see its community impact page.
Bank of the West accepts applications on an invitation-only basis, but interested grantseekers operating in its geographic areas of priority may complete an eligibilty quiz and submit a letter of inquiry through the funder’s online application portal. Email addresses for Bank of the Wests community contributions team members are available at community contributions web page.
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