Bank of the West Seeks Nonprofit Nominations for 2013 Philanthropy Awards

SAN FRANCISCO, July 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of the West today announced an open call for nominations on its Facebook page for its Innovation in Philanthropy Award.

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Starting today and through July 26, nonprofits and members of the public are invited to nominate a nonprofit organization with an innovative approach to improving, promoting and addressing critical societal issues. One winning laureate will receive $50,000 and two finalists will receive $10,000 in cash grants.

"Bank of the West is committed to supporting nonprofit organizations that promote meaningful and sustainable change in our communities," said Dian Quinn, Community Affairs manager at Bank of the West. "Now in our fourth year of hosting the awards, it's been a pleasure to have a venue that publicly acknowledges the incredible work and dedication of the nonprofit industry.  We look forward to the activity generated by the nomination and awards process. We know it will bring recognition to many deserving organizations throughout the 19-states we serve."

Of the nominations received this month, three will be selected as finalists for an open voting forum on the bank's Facebook page this September. The laureate and finalists will be honored at the Bank of the West Philanthropy Awards celebration in San Francisco on October 22.

Nomination Criteria for the Innovation in Philanthropy Award

• Be in existence for five years or less
• Contributes to one of the following fields: education & job training, community & economic development, health & human care, civic & culture
• Be located in and serve at least one of the counties within Bank of the West's 19-state footprint.

Based in San Francisco, Bank of the West has been ranked as a top corporate philanthropist in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Jose. In 2012, the bank supported communities in need with $6.2 million in charitable contributions.

About the Bank of the West Philanthropy Awards
Bank of the West's Wealth Management Group and Community Affairs created the Philanthropy Awards in 2010 to recognize outstanding examples of organizations that are making a difference in their communities.  The Philanthropy Awards represents one component of the bank's dedication to utilizing its financial and human resources to improve its communities. The bank also targets loans, investments and contributions to directly support low- and moderate-income people and communities. In addition to the Innovation in Philanthropy Award nominations that are submitted by the public, two other award nomination categories – Community Impact and Team Member Commitment – are submitted by Bank of the West employees.

About Bank of the West
Founded in 1874, $62 billion-asset Bank of the West (www.bankofthewest.com), member FDIC and equal housing lender, offers a full range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services. The bank operates more than 600 retail and commercial banking locations in 19 Western and Midwestern states. Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 80 countries with nearly 200,000 employees.

SOURCE Bank of the West