| Citizens Financial Group (CFG) launched our signature program, Champions in Action®, in Manchester, New Hampshire five years ago and it has since expanded to seven states across their footprint. The purpose of the program is to establish long-term relationships and partnerships with small nonprofit organizations through a balance of funding, company resources, public visibility and volunteer efforts. Colleague committees convene to award one eligible nonprofit each quarter in each participating state with a $25,000 unrestricted grant and access to all of the company's resources (marketing, technology, etc.). In addition, CFG branches help promote the award recipient organizations to the community, using ATM screen messages, posters and brochures.
To date, CFG has directed $3,325,000 million to 132 organizations through this program — youth services, homeless shelters, community healthcare, housing groups and elder support — along with thousands of volunteer hours to worthy recipients. Additionally, by collaborating with local media outlets, these organizations have received nearly $2 million in media exposure.
The key criteria for selection of the Champions in Action recipients is that an organization has a budget of less than $5 million and has the ability to build upon CFG's support beyond the three-month award period. By providing infrastructure support, CFG's goal is to assist the agencies in expanding their reach — such as serving more clients, gaining wider recognition, achieving fiscal responsibility, and becoming a stronger and more sustainable organization. CFG has found that it can make the biggest impact on partner organizations by providing internal resources: the technology team to help build a website that allows for donations, the marketing team to create strong collateral, and the not-for-profit banking team to help establish a long-term financial plan.
While Champions recipients often compare the program's $25,000 grant to winning the lottery, it is the access to services and heightened public visibility which yields long-term benefits. Organizations reported an increase in clients, donations, partners, volunteer hours and visitors as a result of being a Champion. The award gives organizations the gift of growth and sustainability of which results are immeasurable.
One of the largest contributors to the success of Champions in Action program is the CFG work force. Over the course of the three months, colleagues volunteer at the quarterly Champion organization providing whatever services are most needed. As an added benefit, colleagues who are presented with these types of volunteer opportunities typically develop new skills such as leadership, morale and team building.
For example, Raw Art Works is a nonprofit youth arts organization in Massachusetts that was seeking to purchase its building but faced the challenge of attaining financing at reasonable terms. Citizens connected RAW with our not-for-profit banking group to help pave the way for the organization to own its building. RAW felt this was the greatest obstacle to establishing a permanent presence in the community.
The Champions in Action program is not only beneficial to the communities in which we live and work, but also helps CFG improve relationships with the surrounding communities, improve public image and brand awareness, build a cohesive and motivated work force, and increase employee performance and productivity.
Additionally, by focusing resources locally, CFG is able to observe first-hand the effects volunteerism on local communities. Monthly reviews with CFG volunteer coordinators seek to measure how well colleague volunteers are integrated into the program by collecting data on program awareness and colleague participation. Local civic and nonprofit leaders are also a great resource for evaluating and enriching the Champions in Action program. To provide a useful platform, CFG hosts and sponsors events at which employees can gather feedback and network.
And sustainability is evidenced beyond CFG's support. The Rhode Island Free Clinic, a former Champion in Action partner that provides free physicals for people seeking jobs, partnered with another Champion organization, Genesis Center, which provides workforce development services. As a result, Genesis Center clients are now frequently referred to the RI Free Clinic for free physicals.
These results are what have driven the Champions program to be adapted by CFG's parent company, the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. The UK Champions program was piloted in Manchester, England (most appropriate since it was initially launched in Manchester, NH). During the first quarter, RBS received more than 150 nominations in the first few weeks. It is now accepting nominations for its third Champion in Action, produced numerous collateral items and has completed a dedicated website on the program.
CFG understands that it takes everyone working together to make a difference, investing resources and building solutions to address our neighborhoods' toughest problems. CFG colleagues believe, as the company's tagline states, that Citizens Financial Group is is Not Your Typical Bank.
More information about CFG's Champions in Action program. |
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