community investment

Mercantile Bank Funds $150,000 to 8 Michigan Housing Nonprofits

Grand Rapids, Mich. – September 24, 2026 -- Mercantile Bank is deploying $150,000 in matching grants to eight Michigan nonprofit organizations through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis Community Multiplier Member Match Program, targeting affordable housing gaps statewide.

Mercantile Bank channels $150,000 through FHLBank Indianapolis matching program

The Community Multiplier program allows member financial institutions to support affordable housing nonprofits via matching grants. Mercantile's funding will back initiatives spanning housing stability, housing counseling and education, organizational capacity building, and affordable housing development and preservation.

Weyerhaeuser Commits $1M to Drayton Valley Under Thrive Program

Drayton Valley – September 22, 2026 -- Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY) has committed $1 million in multi-year investment to Drayton Valley, Alberta, marking the first Canadian community selected for its Thrive rural-development program.

Weyerhaeuser designates Drayton Valley as first Canadian Thrive community

The investment will be deployed over several years with input from local officials, business leaders, nonprofits and employees. Weyerhaeuser has operated a sawmill in the town of roughly 8,000 people, located 90 minutes southwest of Edmonton, for nearly 40 years, following a $23 million production-upgrade investment announced in 2013.

Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day Raises $7.2M, Up 38%

Denver – September 20, 2026 -- The third annual Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day campaign raised $7.2 million during its Sept. 1-15 run, surpassing last year's total by 38 percent and pushing the initiative's three-year cumulative fundraising to $16.1 million.

Campaign draws 4,400 donations across 349 nonprofits

Led by the Daniels Fund and Aspen Institute's Project Play Colorado, the 2026 drive engaged 349 youth sports nonprofit organizations statewide, funding equipment, uniforms, programming expansion, financial assistance and new facilities for children and families.

Treasury Releases FY2025-26 CDFI Fund Awards After Yearlong Push

Washington – September 19, 2026 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury has moved forward with fiscal year 2025 and 2026 awards across multiple Community Development Financial Institutions Fund programs, ending more than a year of advocacy by the CDFI industry for the release of the funds.

Opportunity Finance Network credits bipartisan pressure for the award release

Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), which represents nearly 500 CDFI members, said the announcement followed sustained lobbying by OFN, the broader CDFI sector, industry partners, and congressional champions from both parties. Harold Pettigrew, President and CEO of OFN, said CDFIs form part of America's economic and financial infrastructure, financing small businesses, affordable housing, and community facilities nationwide. "The CDFI Fund has earned broad bipartisan support because it produces measurable economic results in rural, urban, and Native communities alike," Pettigrew said.

Panthers, Bank of America Launch 3rd & Goal to Reach 10,000 Students

Charlotte, N.C. – September 19, 2026 -- The Carolina Panthers and Bank of America launched 3rd & Goal, a new community platform expected to reach 10,000 students across North and South Carolina in its first year.

Panthers and Bank of America unveil unified childhood development platform

The flagship initiative consolidates the organizations' prior separate community efforts into a single program built on three pillars: literacy (Read 20), physical wellness (Play 60) and personal well-being (Feel 100). Kristi Coleman, CEO of Tepper Sports & Entertainment and Carolina Panthers President, said the platform aims to become the organization's signature community initiative and a national model for sports-driven social impact.

Truist Backs AJT Academy Conference for 350 Atlanta Student-Athletes

Atlanta – – September 18, 2026 -- Roughly 350 high school student-athletes will gather at Atlanta's Loudermilk Conference Center on Sept. 26, 2026, for the inaugural AJT Academy Student-Athlete Leadership Conference presented by Truist, a program built around the AJ Terrell Jr. Foundation founded by Atlanta Falcons All-Pro cornerback AJ Terrell Jr.

Truist funds leadership program spanning three Atlanta-area high schools

Students from Westlake High School, Frederick Douglass High School and Benjamin E. Mays High School will attend the five-hour event, running 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 40 Courtland St NE. Katie Saez, Truist regional president for Georgia and Alabama, said the bank's partnership with the AJ Terrell Jr. Foundation aims to give young people tools that extend beyond athletics.

Health Net Commits $2M to Fund 50 Affordable Housing Projects in Stanislaus County

Sacramento – September 16, 2026 -- Health Net, a Medi-Cal managed care plan and Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) subsidiary, has invested $2 million in Stanislaus Equity Partners (STEP) to provide gap financing for 50 shovel-ready affordable housing developments in Stanislaus County.

Multi-year grant targets funding shortfalls blocking ready-to-build projects

The multi-year grant will be deployed by STEP through a mix of grants, forgivable loans and low-interest loans, structured to unlock additional public and private capital for developments that are otherwise stalled by financing gaps. STEP said the flexible tools are intended to accelerate delivery of affordable units and reduce displacement risk for residents across the county.

ACE Cash Express Parent Populus Funds Vogel's Homeless Family Program

Dallas – – September 15, 2026 -- Populus Financial Group, parent company of ACE Cash Express, has donated to Vogel's Bridge to Hope program, a two-year initiative in North Texas that helps homeless parents secure housing and build stability plans while providing early childhood education for their children.

National campaign raised more than $160,000 for four charities

The funding came through the 2026 Give A Little Campaign, which generated over $160,000 nationwide for organizations including AdoptAClassroom.org, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, Autism Speaks, and Vogel. The campaign operates under the ACE Community Fund, Populus's charitable-giving arm established in 2004.