Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation Awards Community Grants to 78 Nonprofits

2023's first cycle of grants issued as part of $20MM philanthropic commitment following transformative merger with Columbia Bank

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., June 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In its first community grants cycle of 2023, the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization of Umpqua Bank, under the parent company Columbia Banking System, Inc. (Nasdaq: COLB), has awarded 78 grants to local nonprofits across its footprint totaling $417,000.

Umpqua's community grants this cycle support nonprofit organizations across Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho and Nevada, and are part of the Bank's overall foundation and corporate giving program that has invested $17.4 million in communities since the foundation was formed in 2014. 

"Each of the nonprofits selected displays an exemplary service mindset and a deep commitment to improving economic prosperity for under-resourced individuals, families and small businesses," says Randy Choy, vice president of philanthropy programs and managing director of the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation. "We're honored to partner with them by investing in their critical work, and we look forward to supporting many more organizations in 2023 through our giving and volunteerism programs."

This is the first of three grant cycles in 2023, and the first cycle following the close of the merger between Umpqua Bank and Columbia Bank in March of this year. Following the completion of the merger, Umpqua Bank and parent company Columbia Banking System disbursed $20 million to the charitable foundation to sustain the foundation's historic charitable giving levels and activate millions more each year.

"The Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation is central to how we will continue to show up in support of each and every community we serve," says Umpqua Bank Chief Marketing Officer David Moore Devine. "We issued this initial $20 million disbursement to the foundation at the outset of our future together to strengthen our commitment and ensure we will continue investing in our communities with greater impact and scale in the years ahead."

This cycle's recipient organizations were selected from among hundreds of applicants, with a demonstrated commitment to improving economic prosperity for under-resourced individuals, families, and small businesses in at least one of the following areas: college, career and technical readiness; financial competency; housing stability and homeownership; entrepreneurship and business expansion; small business support and financial guidance; family engagement and resiliency; vibrant and equitable neighborhoods; and technical and digital connectivity.

Learn more, including application deadlines and guidelines for our next community grant cycles, at www.umpquabank.com/our-impact/partnerships/

The following recipients received grants between $5,000-10,000: 

About Umpqua Bank
Umpqua Bank is a subsidiary of Columbia Banking System Inc., and a premier regional bank in the Western U.S., operating in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Colorado. With over $50 billion of assets, Umpqua combines the resources, sophistication and expertise of a national bank with a commitment to deliver personalized service at scale. The bank consistently ranks as one of America's Best Banks (ranked by Forbes) and supports consumers and businesses through a full suite of services, including retail and commercial banking; Small Business Administration lending; institutional and corporate banking; equipment leasing; and wealth management. The company is headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and trades under the ticker symbol COLB on the Nasdaq. Learn more at https://www.umpquabank.com.

About the Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation
The Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization of Umpqua Bank, recognizes the importance of building healthier, more resilient, better connected and inclusive communities throughout the eight-state footprint. It works to strengthen the communities Umpqua Bank serves by investing in organizations and initiatives that expand access to education and create economic opportunity for individuals, families and small businesses. The foundation was formed in 2014 to demonstrate Umpqua's deep commitment to the communities it serves and has distributed more than $17 million across the bank's footprint.

SOURCE Umpqua Bank