The Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation offers the 2025 Community Grant Program – Small Grants to support nonprofit organizations that align with Umpqua Bank’s Social Impact Strategy. This strategy focuses on improving economic prosperity for under-resourced individuals, families, and small businesses. Through this program, Umpqua Bank invests financial resources and human capital into nonprofit organizations, communities, and local leaders, prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in its funding efforts. The foundation aims to support programs that contribute to building healthier, more resilient, connected, and inclusive communities.

The 2025 Small Grants program offers grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. In 2024, the average grant size was approximately $6,000, with 212 grants awarded out of more than 1,300 applications received. Funds awarded can be used for both direct-service programming and general operating support, and the grants are considered unrestricted. The grant application must be submitted using the Community Grant form through the Grants Connect platform. Paper and email applications are not accepted. Each nonprofit may submit only one application per calendar year unless the organization is a fiscal sponsor in a smaller community serving multiple programs.

The grant cycles follow a set schedule: the Spring 2025 cycle opens on February 3, 2025, and closes on March 17, 2025, with decisions communicated by May. The Summer 2025 cycle opens on March 18, 2025, and closes on June 9, 2025, with decisions sent by August. The Fall 2025 cycle opens on June 16, 2025, and closes on September 8, 2025, with decisions communicated by November. The review process may take up to 12 weeks or longer after the deadline closes. If applicants do not receive a decision by the stated timeline, they can follow up by emailing Community@UmpquaBank.com.

To be eligible, applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations registered with the IRS and serving communities within Umpqua Bank’s footprint, which includes areas where Umpqua Bank has branches, commercial banking centers, lending offices, or administrative offices. Priority is given to organizations that engage current Umpqua Bank associates as volunteers, serve low-to-moderate income populations, and focus on under-resourced communities. Applications from individual schools, government entities, political groups, religious organizations that include religious programming, and capital campaigns are not eligible for funding. Additionally, Umpqua Bank does not fund scholarships, debt retirement, or endowment campaigns.

The program prioritizes funding in four key focus areas: Economically Vibrant Communities, Healthy Communities, Inclusive Communities, and Sustainable Communities. Eligible programming includes workforce development, financial literacy, affordable housing, arts and culture, health and mental health services, climate resiliency, disaster preparedness, and equity-focused initiatives. Programs supporting BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, veterans, older adults, women and girls, and people with disabilities are also eligible.

Applicants must complete a detailed application including organizational and program information, a description of how funds will be used, project budget, demographics of populations served, and information about any prior Umpqua Bank funding. Volunteer engagement with Umpqua Bank associates is an important evaluation criterion. Contact information for questions or assistance is provided through Community@UmpquaBank.com. Full program guidelines and application access are available at www.umpquabank.com/community.