Celebrating and Supporting Communities
As part of the People’s United Bank merger agreement, the M&T Bank Charitable Foundation established a new fund committed to deploying $25MM of supplemental charitable giving over 3 years in support of the former People's United Bank communities.
The Amplify Fund
The Amplify Fund is powered by the M&T Bank Charitable Foundation in the first significant philanthropic effort by M&T Bank across the former People’s United Bank footprint.
First announced in May 2022, the Amplify Fund is a $25 million philanthropic investment as part of the merger between People’s United and M&T Bank. The Amplify Fund is a one-time supplemental charitable program to provide further support in the legacy People's United communities throughout New England and New York, to benefit low- and moderate-income communities and underrepresented populations using a racial equity and justice lens.
M&T kickstarted the Amplify Fund initiative in the former People’s United Bank communities with the first round of giving in 2022, with more planned in future funding rounds, to be announced at a later date.
Importantly, the Amplify Fund does not replace the M&T Foundation’s current charitable giving or sponsorships across the banking footprint, including the former People’s United Bank footprint. It is in addition to it.
Areas of Focus
The areas of focus for the Amplify Fund will align with M&T’s existing priorities, including community development and innovation, in addition to the previously announced Community Growth Plan and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) eligibility standards.
The Amplify Fund is designed to drive sustainable impact that is equitable, accessible and responsive to local needs. Amplify was guided by the input of local leaders and community partners, and investments will continue to be shaped with localized input and information in mind.
Phase I Grant Awards - Complete
M&T kickstarted the Amplify Fund initiative in the former People’s United Bank communities through a regional Request for Proposal (RFP) process. The first round of giving was awarded in 2022, with some payments committed over a two- or three-year period.
Funding was provided to specific non-profit organizations based in New England and Metro New York, with a focus on mission-driven and capacity building work, community organizing, equity and environmental initiatives, and financial empowerment and education for individuals and small businesses, as follows:
2022 Phase I Amplify Fund Grants Awarded
With some payments committed over a two- or three-year period.
$11,885,000
DOLLARS COMMITTED
105
ORGANIZATIONS
Connecticut – Mission-driven/Capacity-building (AF-CT)
The first group of Amplify Fund-Connecticut grants announced were aimed at providing unrestricted multi-year support to trusted organizations in Connecticut to enable them to improve the lives of their communities through programmatic, capacity-building or policy-based work.
New England – Equity & Environment Initiative (AF-EEI)
A separate category devoted to organizations working to address environmental justice and equity in communities across the Northeast was also included in this first round of funding.Funding supported regional and statewide organizations engaged in environmental justice work to improve the lives of those in the communities they serve, with the goal of reducing environmental harm and enhancing community wellbeing.
Long Island – Financial Empowerment Services and Education (AF-LI)
Amplify Long Island funding focused on community-based organizations that provide financial empowerment services and education to individuals and emerging micro or small businesses in the Nassau and Suffolk Counties of Long Island. Funding supported financial education services that serve low – to moderate – income residents of Long Island with additional consideration directed towards programming that serves first time homebuyers, micro or small business development, re-entry services, workforce development and programs that assist immigrants with economic integration into the local economy.
Metro New York – Community and Tenant Organizing (AF-NY)
The Amplify Fund Metro New York RFP focused on advancing community and tenant organizing as part of a larger strategy that leads towards equitable responses to local needs.Funding was allocated to nonprofits operating within the five boroughs of New York City, Rockland, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The objective of the fund was to provide support to trusted community organizations that can help improve the lives of their constituents through programmatic, capacity-building, and policy-based work with an emphasis on community organizing as the change agent.
See the full list of Phase I Amplify Fund grant recipients:
- 350 Vermont Inc.
- Arts for Learning CT
- Accompany Capital
- Alliance for Community Empowerment
- ANHD
- Ascendus (formerly Accion East/CDFI)
- Asian Americans For Equality, Inc.
- Audubon Vermont
- Barnum Museum Foundation, Inc.
- BOC
- Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders
- Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation (BEDCO)
- Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust, Inc.
- Capital for Change
- Cardinal Shehan Center
- Career Resources, Inc.
- Center for Law and Human Values
- Central Connecticut Coast YMCA
- Central Islip Civic Council
- Chhaya
- Citizens Campaign Fund for the Environment
- CNYCN
- Community Action Agency for New Haven
- Community Action Southold Town Inc. (CAST)
- Community Development Corporation of Long Island
- Community Voices Heard, Inc.
- Connecticut Association for the Performing Arts d/b/a Shubert Theatre
- Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program (ConnCORP)
- Connecticut Green Building Council
- Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants
- Connecticut Zoological Society, Inc. (DBA Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo)
- CT Council for Philanthropy
- CT Students for a Dream
- Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation
- Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation
- East Brooklyn Congregations
- East New York CLT Inc.
- Eastern Connecticut Housing Opportunities Inc
- Ecology Education Inc.
- Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk, Inc.
- Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
- Fifth Avenue Committee, Inc.
- Flatbush Development Corporation
- Forge City Works
- Futures Ignite
- Good Old Lower East Side, Inc. (GOLES)
- Greater Bridgeport Community Enterprises, Inc.
- Groundwork Bridgeport
- Groundwork Lawrence
- Habitat For Humanity
- Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County
- Harris Center for Conservation Education
- Hartford Land Bank, Inc
- HEDCO, Inc.
- Housatonic Community College Foundation
- Housing Development Fund, Inc.
- International Hartford Ltd.
- Intervale Center
- Junior Achievement of Fairfield County
- La Fuerza CDC
- La Fuerza Unida, Inc.
- LifeBridge Community Services, Inc.
- LIHP
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation Connecticut
- Long Island Progressive Coalition Education Project
- Maine Farmland Trust
- Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)
- Make the Road Connecticut
- Make the Road New York
- Merrimack River Watershed Council
- MHANY
- Mutual Housing Association of Greater Hartford Inc
- Mutual Housing Association of South Central Connecticut, Inc.
- Mutual Housing Association of Southwestern Connecticut dba Connecticut Housing Partners
- NE Grassroots Environment Fund
- Neighborhood Housing Services Of New Haven, Inc
- Neighbors Together Corp.
- Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition
- NY Renews Education Fund, a Project of the Tides Foundation
- OLA (Immigrant Services)
- Our Piece of the Pie, Inc.
- Pratt Area Community Council, Inc.
- Red Hook Initiative
- Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership (RYASAP)
- Right to Counsel NYC Coalition
- Riverkeeper, Inc.
- Save the Sound
- SCSU Foundation
- SEPA Mujer
- Sheldon Oak Central, Inc.
- St Nicks Alliance
- The Center for Family Justice, Inc.
- The Crenulated Company Ltd. DBA New Settlement
- The Open Door Shelter
- The San Juan Center
- The Trust for Public Land
- The WorkPlace
- UHAB
- UNHP
- United Way of Coastal Fairfield County
- Urban League LI
- Vermont Natural Resources Council Inc.
- We Stay/Nos Quedamos, Inc.
- Women's Business Development Council
- Youth Ministries for Peace & Justice, Inc.
Next Phase – Coming Soon
Understanding the unique, specific needs of our communities is a hallmark of M&T’s approach as a bank. Regional representatives of the bank will continue to meet with local leaders to help inform the strategic direction for the future of the Fund’s giving efforts in 2023 and beyond.
M&T believes in making sustained investments in our customers and communities to help them thrive. This is just the first round of one new initiative, and we look forward to sharing details about the next round of funding opportunities through the Amplify Fund in the months ahead.
Charitable Contribution Requests
M&T is currently not accepting requests for the Amplify Fund. More information will be available later this year.
As noted, the Amplify Fund is a supplemental charitable giving program and does not replace M&T’s current charitable giving process across the banking footprint, including the former People’s United Bank footprint. Visit the M&T Charitable Foundation page for more information on how to apply.
Amplify Fund - New York (AF-NY)
Eligible Counties: Rockland and Westchester Counties; Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties); and the five boroughs of New York City (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens and Richmond Counties)
Fund Overview:
AF-NY will provide finite, multi-year funding to community based organizations and intermediaries with a demonstrated commitment to high-need, frequently underserved, marginalized or overlooked communities that actively connect to the Community Development movement through community organizing.
The objective of this program is to provide support to trusted organizations that can help improve the lives of their communities through programmatic, capacity-building, and policy-based work with community focus as the change agent. This work should correspond to documented community needs and can include a range of issue areas, where organizing intersects with a built environment.
Priority will be given to applicant organizations that utilize community and tenant organizing as a way to improve the lives of their communities and social policy.
Given the time-limited nature of this funding, and the broad geographical reach of the Fund, we are asking that interested applicants first submit a Letter of Interest (see details in the LOI document). We will closely review each LOI, with the goal of inviting a limited number of applicants—no more than two dozen in total—to apply for funding.
Please note further that an invitation to submit a full application is not a guarantee of funding.
Timeline:
May 16, 2022: Letter of Interest (LOI) and Request For Proposal (RFP) information is released
July 1, 2022: Last day to submit an LOI for AF-NY
July 18 - 22, 2022: RFP will be disbursed to organizations moving forward for completion
September 9, 2022: RFP submission deadline
October 7, 2022: Selected organizations will be notified
Amplify Fund - Connecticut (AF-CT)
Counties Eligible to Apply: Any county in the state of Connecticut
Fund Overview:
AF-CT will provide finite, multi-year funding to community-based organizations and intermediaries with a demonstrated commitment to high need, and to constituencies frequently underserved, marginalized, or overlooked communities.
The objective of this program is to provide unrestricted support to trusted organizations to enable them to improve the lives of their communities through programmatic, capacity-building, and/or policy-based work. This work should correspond to documented community needs and can include a range of organizational or societal issue areas.
Priority will be given to applicant organizations that can clearly articulate the needs to be addressed, the strategies to be employed in response to those needs, and the plan to demonstrate the effectiveness of those strategies.
Given the time-limited nature of this funding, and the statewide reach of the Fund, we are asking that interested applicants first submit a Letter of Interest (see details in the LOI document). We will closely review each LOI, with the goal of inviting a limited number of applicants to apply for funding.
Please note further than an invitation to submit a full application is not a guarantee of funding.
Timeline:
May 23, 2022: Letter of Interest (LOI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) information is released
July 11, 2022: Last day to submit an LOI for AF-CT
August 8 - 12, 2022: RFP will be disbursed to organizations moving forward for completion
September 16, 2022: RFP submission deadline
October 14, 2022: Selected organizations will be notified
Amplify Fund - Equity & Environment Initiative (AF-EEI)
States & Counties Eligible to Apply: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, the lower Hudson Valley of New York, the five boroughs (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens and Richmond Counties), and Long Island.
Fund Overview:
AF-EEI will provide finite and non-renewable, two-year funding to community regional and statewide organizations working to advance environmental justice through programmatic initiatives and/or policy-based work.
The objective of this program is to provide support to trusted organizations that are engaged in environmental justice work to improve the lives of those in the communities they serve. This work should respond directly to documented needs, with the goal of reducing environmental harm and enhancing wellbeing.
Priority will be given to applicant organizations seeking to effect environmental improvement in communities facing one or more environmental justice concerns. Applicant organizations should be able to clearly articulate the needs to be addressed, the strategies to be employed in response to those needs, and the plan to demonstrate the effectiveness of those strategies.
Given the time-limited nature of this funding, and the broad geographic reach of the EEI, we are asking that interested applicants first submit a Letter of Interest (see details in LOI document). We will closely review each LOI, with the goal of inviting a limited number of applicants — not to exceed two dozen — to apply for funding.
Please note further that an invitation to submit a full application is not a guarantee of funding
Timeline:
May 31, 2022: Letter of Interest (LOI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) information is released
July 18, 2022: Last day to submit an LOI for AF-EEI
August 18 - 22, 2022: RFP will be disbursed to organizations moving forward for completion
September 23, 2022: RFP submission deadline
October 21, 2022: Selected organizations will be notified