In June, Wells Fargo announced a new philanthropic strategy that will address the key issues of housing affordability and small business revitalization with one billion dollars in grants and support.

The bank that serves one in three households in the United States said it is committing $1 billion over the next six years to support nonprofits and private entities that demonstrate ability to create positive outcomes in homelessness, available and affordable rentals, transitional housing and home ownership.

Last year, the Wells Fargo Foundation donated $444 million to more than 11,000 nonprofits to help address economic and social needs in underserved communities—and yesterday it announced $9 million in grants to more than 60 nonprofits, such as Habitat For Humanity and Covenant House, in support of housing affordability solutions. (See the full list below)

Bringing more than 30 years of experience in public and private philanthropy, Brandee McHale stepped in to take over the helm at the Foundation in August, after being the head of Corporate Citizenship at Citigroup. and president of the Citi Foundation, and previously working at the Ford Foundation.

To address challenges in construction, financing, and support services for low- and moderate-income families, the elderly and the homeless, Wells Fargo hopes to ease the cost burden for housing across the country, “from Alaska to Florida.”

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“We have a unique opportunity to work together with nonprofits to make an even greater impact,” said Eileen Fitzgerald, head of housing affordability philanthropy with the Wells Fargo Foundation.

The $9 million in grants this week are “a key component” of the recently announced Wells Fargo philanthropy strategy to address the housing affordability crisis over the next six years.

This housing-and-neighborhoods-first strategy may help the nation’s fourth largest bank turn around its reputation after a 2016 scandal involving setting up fake customer accounts, and other controversies.

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The Recent 2019 Grant Recipients Include:

Cook Inlet Housing Development Corporation (Anchorage, Alaska)
Covenant House Alaska (Anchorage, Alaska)
Foundation for Senior Living (Phoenix)
Habitat for Humanity Fresno (Fresno, Calif.)
Resources for Community Development (Berkeley, Calif.)
Pueblo Unido Community Development Corporation (La Quinta, Calif.)
Community of Friends (Los Angeles)
Neighborhood Housing Services (Sacramento, Calif.)
Volunteers of America (Sacramento, Calif.)
Habitat for Humanity San Diego (San Diego)
SVDP Management, Inc. (San Diego)
Bridge Housing Corporation (San Francisco)
Mercy Housing California (San Francisco)
Rebuilding Together San Jose (San Jose, Calif.)
Habitat for Humanity Santa Ana (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Mercy House CHDO, Inc. (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (Ventura, Calif.)
Self-Help Enterprises (Visalia, Calif.)
Brothers Redevelopment, Inc. (Denver)
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (Denver)
Tampa Bay Community Development Corporation (Clearwater, Fla.)
Habitat for Humanity Panama City (Panama City, Fla.)
Florida Home Partnership, Inc. (Ruskin, Fla.)
Habitat for Humanity West Palm Beach (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Neighborhood Renaissance, Inc. (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority, Inc. (Augusta, Ga.)
NeighborWorks Boise (Boise, Idaho)
Northwest Real Estate Capital Corporation (Boise, Idaho)
Women’s Institute for Housing and Economic Development, Inc. (Boston)
Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. (Columbia, Md.)
Mary Harvin Transformation Center Community Development Corporation (Baltimore)
Unity Properties, Inc. (Baltimore)
City of Lakes Community Land Trust (Minneapolis)
Project for Pride in Living, Inc. (Minneapolis)
Community Housing Solutions of Guilford, Inc. (Greensboro, N.C.)
DHIC, Inc. (Raleigh, N.C.)
Habitat for Humanity Newark (Newark, N.J.)
La Casa De Don Pedro, Inc. (Newark, N.J.)
Saranam LLC (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Nevada HAND, Inc. (Las Vegas)
Common Ground Communities, Inc. (New York)
Access (Medford, Ore.)
Native American Youth and Family Center (Portland, Ore.)
Northwest Housing Alternatives, Inc. (Milwaukie, Ore.)
Tri-County Housing Development, Corporation (Harrisburg, Pa.)
Housing Development Corporation of Rock Hill (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Habitat for Humanity Sioux Falls (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Saint Joseph Catholic Housing, Inc. (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Rebuilding Together Nashville (Nashville, Tenn.)
Foundation Communities, Inc. (Austin, Texas)
Habitat for Humanity Austin (Austin, Texas)
Habitat for Humanity Fort Worth (Fort Worth, Texas)
Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County (Fort Worth, Texas)
Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation (Houston)
Neighborhood Recovery Community Development Corporation (Houston)
Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (Arlington, Va.)
Southside Community Development and Housing Corporation (Richmond, Va.)
Habitat for Humanity Renton (Renton, Wash.)
Bellweather Housing (Seattle)
Acts Community Development Corporation (Milwaukee)
Habitat for Humanity Jackson (Jackson, Wyo.)
Jackson Hole Community Housing (Jackson, Wyo.)

SHARE the Hope on Social Media… (Photo courtesy of Wells Fargo Foundation)

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