Amount
$200,000 unrestricted over two years plus leadership development for two executives.[7]
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Bank of America Neighborhood Builders
Timeline
Application window May 1 – June 1 2026. Market president nominations typically in place by early spring.[7]
Effort & Priority
Effort: 5 | Priority: Worth Exploring
Success outlook: Medium.
Match
No match; award is fully flexible operating support.
Why It Matters
Neighborhood Builders delivers rare unrestricted capital plus national leadership coaching. BUL has historical ties with Bank of America, providing a solid starting point if we re-engage strategically.[7][8]
Positioning Plan
- Secure a nomination or endorsement from the Buffalo market president; mobilise board contacts now.
- Showcase BUL’s systems-level economic mobility impacts (jobs, wages, business starts) and how leadership coaching accelerates growth.
- Pair quantitative results with compelling family success stories for application and interviews.
Application Snapshot
- Online form (~20 short-answer questions) covering mission, strategy, leadership, and outcomes.
- Requires two senior leaders committed to the leadership curriculum; identify participants in advance.
- Supplement application with concise impact deck for Bank of America champions.
Risks & Mitigation
- High competition: Only two WNY organizations selected annually—differentiate via racial equity leadership and measurable outcomes.
- Relationship-driven: Invest in cultivation lunches, volunteer engagements, and board touchpoints ahead of application.
ROI & Next Moves
With roughly 20 hours of concentrated cultivation and application work, the $200K unrestricted grant (plus leadership training valued near $20K per leader) translates to well over $10,000 per hour of effort. Immediate steps: update impact narrative, brief Bank of America CSR leads by March, and rehearse executive storytelling for leadership interviews.[7]