Citizens Launches $450,000 Grant Program and Webinar Series Focused on Mental Health and Well-Being

Citizens announced today the launch of its 2025 Champions in Action grant program and new partnership with Mental Health America aimed at expanding access to mental health and well-being programming and resources.  The grant program will award $450,000 to nine nonprofits who are delivering and advocating for mental health and well-being services. The three-part webinar series with Mental Health America will provide free access to education and information focused on economic security and its impact on mental health.

“At Citizens, we understand the importance of mental health and well-being and are committed to helping people thrive,” said Michelle Hecht, Citizens Head of Corporate Affairs. “We are proud to support nonprofits who are providing resources, education and support to ensure everyone has the opportunity to flourish personally and professionally.

According to Mental Health America’s 2023 State of Mental Health in America Report, more than 50 million American adults experience mental illness and 1 in 10 children experience depression. Citizens’ recent 2024 Teen Financial Wellness Survey with Junior Achievement also revealed that 78% of teens are stressed about money.

The three-part webinar series with Mental Health America running from August to December will address how financial stress and anxiety can impact your mental health. Led by Citizens subject matter experts and professionals from Mental Health America, the series covers topics including the importance of credit health, establishing a healthy relationship with money, and setting a roadmap to achieving financial health.  To register, visit https://mhanational-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DWqxs5V6QVe_DKJ7R_Tcog

Through its 2025 Champions in Action grant program, Citizens will award $50,000 in unrestricted funding and volunteer and promotional support to nine organizations who are improving access to mental health and well-being programming by delivering education and resources needed to help people achieve their potential.  Applications can be completed online at www.citizensbank.com/champions and must be submitted by September 13, 2024.

To be eligible for consideration, an organization must:

• Be a nonprofit organization with a total operating budget between $250,000 and $5 million located in one of the following markets: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island, San Francisco, Southern Florida
• Be a nonprofit organization that provides direct access to mental health services and resources; delivers education and advocacy around mental health and well-being; is actively working to remove barriers to adequate care for the populations they serve; and/or is working to address root causes of mental illness via programming.

Citizens’ Champions in Action program celebrates and supports local nonprofits with operating budgets under $5 million who are creating meaningful and measurable impact in the communities they serve.Twice a year, one nonprofit in each of Citizens’ nine major markets is selected to receive funding, promotional and volunteer support to accelerate programming and services focused on a topic that aligns with one of Citizens’ sustainability and impact focus areas – Driving Positive Climate Impact, Building the Workforce of the Future, and Fostering Strong Communities. Since the program’s launch 22 years ago, Citizens has awarded more than $11 million in contributions and promotional support to over 380 nonprofits across the bank’s footprint.