Bank of America Arkansas recently announced that it has provided $445,000 in 2023 across the state through philanthropic grants and sponsorships to help strengthen the local economy. In addition to financial support, the Bank of America Arkansas team has provided more than 3,700 volunteer hours to date.
The funding is aimed at driving economic mobility across the state by supporting local nonprofits such as the Arkansas Foodbank, the Baptist Health Foundation, Our House, UA Little Rock’s Summer Bridge Academy, the Samaritan Community Center, and recently partnering with Arkansas Stop the Violence to deliver bikes to children.
On Giving Tuesday, Bank of America announced a $30,000 donation to the Arkansas Foodbank during their telethon on KARK to support the organization’s transportation efforts. That evening, the bank also announced this year’s Neighborhood Champion’s grant recipient: Economics Arkansas, whose mission is to prepare students to understand domestic and global economies, invest in their human capital, exhibit financially responsible behavior and become informed voters who understand the obligation of contributing to a domestic process.
“Neighborhood Champions is an example of Bank of America’s commitment to responsible growth as we work to advance economic mobility in Arkansas, with a particular focus on low- and moderate-income communities,” said Bank of America Arkansas President Heather Jones. “This year, Economics Arkansas is our Neighborhood Champion because of their work to remove barriers related to economic mobility by providing students with the knowledge and tools they need to make wise financial choices and effectively participate in our economy.”
The Neighborhood Champions program was established in 2019 to help advance economic mobility and nonprofit leadership in suburban markets and smaller communities across the U.S. As part of the program, Economics Arkansas receives $50,000 in grant support and an opportunity for engagement in virtual leadership training delivered by experts in the nonprofit sector.
“Nonprofits like Economics Arkansas, Arkansas Foodbank and UAMS Pathways Academy are on the front lines of addressing complex societal challenges – understanding the needs and obstacles Arkansas faces while developing the solutions and services to promote economic advancement,” said Jones. “Neighborhood Champions is an invitation-only program for nonprofits poised to take their work to the next level and deliver meaningful results in our community, and we’re thrilled to continue this investment with Economics Arkansas.”
Additionally, Bank of America Arkansas supports two local nonprofits through its Student Leaders program. The eight-week paid summer internship partners with local nonprofits, Junior Achievement of Arkansas and the Museum of Discovery, where selected students hone their workforce skills, leadership and civic engagement while gaining first-hand experience serving their communities.
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