FIPO CBO Forum Panelists (left-right): Julius Austin - Sacramento Promise Zone Coordinator for Sacramento Housing & Redevelopment Agency; Kari Decker - Managing Director, Corporate Responsibility for JP Morgan Chase; Tiffany Rosso - Executive Director of Alchemist CDC; Rebekah Casey - Director of Development & Strategic Partnerships for Grid Alternative; Pedar Bruce - Assistant Vice President, Community Development Officer for Wells Fargo; and Spike Keil Community Affairs Specialist with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
September 2018 - Leaders from greater Sacramento region community based organizations (CBOs) and financial institutions engaged in an open forum discussion on Monday, August 27th to increase awareness of the 2018-2019 Financial Institution Partnership Opportunity (FIPO) Request for Proposal (RFP) and help potential applicants increase their chances of success. The FIPO is a bank-led initiative which brings together financial institutions from across the region to combine funds, align priorities, and maximize impact through concentrating support around a community initiative. The forum was moderated by Spike Keil, a Community Affairs Specialist with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
The panel members included Julius Austin the Sacramento Promise Zone Coordinator for the Sacramento Housing Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), Kari Decker the Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility for JP Morgan Chase, Tiffany Rosso the Executive Director of Alchemist CDC, Rebekah Casey the Director of Development & Strategic Partnerships for Grid Alternatives, and Pedar Bruce the Assistant Vice-President of Community Development for Wells Fargo.
The Forum provided a space for past grantees, Grid Alternatives and Alchemist CDC, as well as financial partners JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo, to detail the components of a successful RFP while answering questions from the audience. Topics discussed included the introduction of affordable housing as a new focus area, metrics and reporting, as well as how to create applications for existing programs and new initiatives. Representatives from 26 CBOs were able to ask questions directly to banks and the previous FIPO awardees while learning and connecting with others dedicated to community building and high impact programs in the Promise Zone. The attendees left the experience optimistic of the possibility of partnering with banks to foster change in Sacramento’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods.
To learn more about the 2018-2019 Financial Institution Partnership Opportunity and apply before October 5, 2018 please click HERE.