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Regions Foundation

Annual Giving
$31.0M
Grant Range
$15K - $0.2M
Decision Time
3mo

Regions Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $31+ million total since 2018 (400+ grants)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Quarterly board review
  • Grant Range: $15,000 - $200,000+ (based on documented awards)
  • Geographic Focus: 16 states across Southeast, Midwest, and Texas
  • Application Method: Invitation only

Contact Details

Website: https://www.regions.com/about-regions/community-engagement/regions-foundation

Location: Birmingham, AL

Executive Director: Marta Self (Head of Corporate Philanthropy)

Note: The Foundation does not accept unsolicited inquiries and operates on an invitation-only basis.

Overview

The Regions Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation established in 2018 and funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank. Since inception, the Foundation has awarded more than 400 grants totaling over $31 million to organizations creating positive change across the South, Midwest, and Texas. The Foundation's mission is to fund programs that "provide hope and opportunity, helping people overcome barriers and achieve success." Executive Director Marta Self, who joined in 2019, leads the Foundation's operations as well as Regions Bank's strategic community investments and associate volunteer efforts. The Foundation operates within the same 16-state footprint as Regions Bank, covering Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and potentially Virginia.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Regions Foundation focuses on three strategic priority areas with grants typically ranging from $15,000 to $200,000+ based on documented awards:

Economic and Community Development

  • Small business lending and entrepreneurship support ($100,000-$150,000)
  • Affordable housing initiatives
  • Community development projects
  • Disaster recovery grants (recent examples: $200,000 for Hurricane Milton recovery; $60,000 for tornado recovery in Missouri and Indiana)

Education and Workforce Readiness

  • Workforce development and training programs ($30,000-$90,000)
  • Youth workforce programs through Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) - $30,000
  • Teacher recruitment and professional development through Teach For America ($20,000-$55,000)
  • Student conference support ($15,000)
  • Technical training and certification programs ($55,000)

Financial Wellness

  • Financial education programs
  • Programs promoting economic stability for families and individuals

Recent documented grants include:

  • $55,000 to NOVA Workforce Institute of Northeast Louisiana for professional certifications
  • $55,000 to Teach For America Alabama for teacher recruitment
  • $35,000 to Teach For America South Louisiana for Alumni Fellowship Program
  • $30,000 to JAG Indiana and JAG Missouri for youth workforce development
  • $100,000 to Innovation Portal's TechAcademy for small business support
  • $150,000 to Neighborhood Concepts for small business lending expansion

Priority Areas

  • Programs with quantifiable metrics demonstrating specific impacts
  • Initiatives serving communities within the Regions Bank 16-state footprint
  • Projects aligned with one or more of the three strategic priorities
  • Organizations showing measurable outcomes in workforce development, economic opportunity, or financial stability

What They Don't Fund

Explicit Exclusions:

  • Individuals
  • Sponsorships
  • Fundraising events or meals
  • Programs not delivered within the Regions Bank footprint
  • Programs not directly aligned with the three strategic priorities
  • Organizations that discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, ancestry, marital status, disability, or protected veteran status
  • Religious organizations (except for non-sectarian activities that benefit the community at large)

Governance and Leadership

Executive Director: Marta Self serves as Executive Director of the Regions Foundation and Head of Corporate Philanthropy at Regions Bank. She was appointed to this role in 2019.

Marta Self on Foundation Priorities:

  • "Access to meaningful careers is about more than a paycheck—it's about building stability and opportunity for entire families."
  • On affordable housing: "This is not charity. [We're] helping create housing opportunities [by] helping the people that are going to be living in those houses."
  • On investment decisions: "When I looked at the success stories from past funding, I knew this was the right investment."

Board Structure: The Regions Foundation Board of Directors reviews grant applications quarterly.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Regions Foundation operates on a strictly invitation-only basis. Only applicants who have been invited to apply with an invitation code may submit a funding proposal through the Regions Community Engagement Central (RCEC) platform.

Key Points:

  • Unsolicited proposals are not accepted
  • The Foundation is unable to respond to unsolicited inquiries
  • Organizations that receive an invitation use the RCEC online portal to enter their application
  • The Foundation proactively identifies and invites organizations that align with their strategic priorities

Decision Timeline

  • Review Frequency: The Regions Foundation Board of Directors reviews grant applications on a quarterly basis
  • Evaluation Process: Applications are evaluated on their own merits and in conjunction with other applications received based on the Foundation's funding priorities
  • Notification: Specific timeline from submission to decision not publicly disclosed

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. The Foundation has awarded over 400 grants since 2018, but does not publish information about total applications received or percentage of approvals.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly available. This information may be provided to invited applicants during the application process.

Application Success Factors

Based on documented grant awards and Foundation statements, successful applications demonstrate:

Quantifiable Impact Metrics Organizations must show quantifiable metrics to demonstrate their specific impacts. Recent successful grantees have documented outcomes such as:

  • NOVA NELA: 359 professional certifications in 2024; 2,800 people helped; 1,400 sustainable jobs filled; $35 million annual wage impact
  • JAG Indiana: 95.8% graduation rate (vs. 84% national average); 84% full-time employment rate; $23 million in scholarship funds earned by participants
  • Innovation Portal TechAcademy: Hundreds of companies served

Alignment with Foundation Philosophy Executive Director Marta Self emphasizes programs that create "stability and opportunity for entire families," not just short-term assistance. The Foundation looks for investments that help people overcome barriers and achieve long-term success.

Geographic Coverage Programs must be delivered within the 16-state Regions Bank footprint covering the Southeast, Midwest, and Texas.

Strategic Priority Alignment Projects must clearly align with economic and community development, education and workforce readiness, or financial wellness. The Foundation particularly supports:

  • Workforce training leading to professional certifications
  • Youth workforce development with demonstrated graduation and employment outcomes
  • Small business development and entrepreneurship
  • Affordable housing that creates opportunities for residents
  • Teacher recruitment and professional development
  • Disaster recovery efforts in served communities

Partnership Approach The Foundation views itself as creating "community investments" rather than making charitable donations, suggesting they seek meaningful partnerships with measurable returns for communities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only process means relationship building is essential - You cannot apply without an invitation code; the Foundation identifies potential grantees proactively
  • Quantifiable metrics are mandatory - Organizations must demonstrate specific, measurable impacts; vague outcomes will not meet Foundation standards
  • Think "investment" not "charity" - The Foundation uses investment language and seeks sustainable, long-term community impact rather than short-term assistance
  • Focus on family and community stability - Programs should address how they create stability and opportunity for entire families, not just individuals
  • Geographic eligibility is strict - Programs must be delivered within the 16-state Regions Bank footprint; this is non-negotiable
  • Strategic alignment is required - Ensure your program clearly fits within economic/community development, education/workforce readiness, or financial wellness
  • Strong track record helps - Executive Director Marta Self has referenced looking at "success stories from past funding" when making decisions, suggesting proven outcomes matter

References

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