Nine Nonprofits Evolving to Meet Community Needs Named Citizens’ 2026 Champions in Action
Each organization to receive $50,000, volunteer engagement, and promotional support to strengthen community impact
Providence, RI (February 2, 2026) – Nine nonprofits that are adapting and innovating to better meet the needs of the communities they serve have been named Citizens’ 2026 Champions in Action. Each organization is recognized for its resilience and creativity in reimagining programs, services, and operations to stay effective and accessible amid rising community needs and shifting economic conditions. These nonprofits will receive $50,000 in funding, volunteer engagement, and media amplification to strengthen their impact across Citizens’ footprint.
“At Citizens, we believe strong communities are built through innovation and resilience,” said Michelle Hecht, Head of Corporate Affairs, Citizens. “This year’s Champions in Action exemplify what it means to adapt with purpose — finding new ways to deliver critical services, remain accessible, and create measurable outcomes that improve lives. We’re proud to stand alongside these organizations as they evolve to meet changing needs and drive lasting impact.”
As part of the recognition events, Citizens’ colleagues not only celebrated the awardees but also rolled up their sleeves to support their work firsthand — from making Volunteer Income Tax Assistance outreach calls with Catalyst Miami and repainting WORC’s reception area in Philadelphia, to writing encouragement letters for Pennsylvania Women Work clients, networking and mentoring job seekers alongside StreetWise Partners in NYC, and even helping New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Observatory measure snowpack for climate tracking. These projects reflect the program’s commitment to pairing financial support with hands-on volunteerism that deepens impact on the ground.
2026 Champions in Action for Uplifting Resilient Nonprofits:
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Access Institute San Francisco, CA |
Access Institute delivers high‑quality, affordable psychological care for people who fall through the socioeconomic cracks while training future clinicians, and Champions in Action funding will expand its mental‑health services and strengthen its Internship, Fellowship, and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner training pipeline. |
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Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell |
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell provides youth development and workforce pathways designed to end generational poverty, and Champions in Action funding will support wages and training for ten paid Youth Leaders during the 2026–2027 school year. |
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Catalyst Miami |
Catalyst Miami builds economic and climate resilience for low‑income families through multilingual financial coaching and free ITIN and tax preparation services, and Champions in Action funding will expand its VITA program to secure critical refunds for households often one expense away from crisis. |
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Latin American Economic Development Association (LAEDA) |
LAEDA revitalizes neighborhoods by helping underserved entrepreneurs overcome systemic barriers to starting and growing small businesses, and Champions in Action funding will develop a hybrid Entrepreneurial Development Training Program to expand access for working adults and caregivers. |
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Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS) |
Mount Washington Observatory advances weather and climate understanding through high altitude research and education, and Champions in Action funding will expand internships, school programs, high‑ ‑school apprenticeships, and a new broadcast meteorology internship. |
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Pennsylvania Women Work |
Pennsylvania Women Work empowers job seekers—especially women—with personalized coaching and career training, and Champions in Action funding will launch Next Chapter Careers to support women over 50 in returning to the workforce with confidence and long‑term stability. |
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Rhode Island Free Clinic |
Rhode Island Free Clinic provides preventive and chronic‑care services for uninsured adults while training a diverse pipeline of future clinicians, and Champions in Action funding will support two Community Health Workers to strengthen patient navigation and care coordination as the Clinic is honored as a Champion in Action for the second time, underscoring its sustained excellence and impact. |
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StreetWise Partners |
StreetWise Partners drives economic mobility by pairing job seekers with corporate mentors who build professional fluency and social capital, and Champions in Action funding will enhance its Bridge program and expand StreetWise Academy to college campuses. |
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Women’s Opportunities Resource Center (WORC) |
WORC advances financial self‑sufficiency for economically disadvantaged women through microlending, matched savings, and entrepreneurial training, and Champions in Action funding will expand its integrated asset‑building programs to help more women start, stabilize, and grow small businesses. |
Citizens’ Champions in Action program celebrates high-impact organizations with annual budgets under $5 million that deliver measurable, lasting change in their communities. Twice a year, Citizens selects one nonprofit in each of its nine major markets to receive funding and resources aligned with the bank’s Delivering Impact focus area.
Since launching 24 years ago, Citizens Champions in Action program has awarded more than $12 million in grants and promotional and volunteer support to more than 400 nonprofits across the bank’s footprint.
For more information about the Champions in Action program, visit Champions in Action | Be Inspired | Citizens (citizensbank.com). To learn more about Citizens’ Sustainability and Impact strategy, visit Sustainability and Impact (citizensbank.com).
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About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $226.4 billion in assets as of December 31, 2025. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail, private banking, wealth management and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,100 ATMs and approximately 1,000 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. Consumer Banking includes Citizens Private Bank and Private Wealth, which integrate banking services and wealth management solutions to serve high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as investors, entrepreneurs and businesses. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on X, LinkedIn or Facebook.
