OREANDA-NEWS. January 21, 2016. U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Wells Fargo today announced a call for nominations for the 2016 CommunityWINS? grant program, aimed at accelerating neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and job creation in municipalities across the country.

Launched in 2015, the CommunityWINS grant program includes a \\$3 million investment by the Wells Fargo Foundation over three years.  CommunityWINS grant program is administered by The U.S. Conference of Mayors and funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation. 

“We are pleased to continue this great program in 2016 after a successful launch last year,” said U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran. “The CommunityWINS program demonstrates how private and public sectors can work together to address local economic challenges and create positive change. Our organization and Wells Fargo share similar goals and commitments to help communities across the country succeed, and we look forward to teaming with additional cities and nonprofits to spur economic recovery in 2016.”

Through a competitive application process, the USCM will determine eligibility and administer grant funds to eligible nonprofits in six cities to support neighborhood revitalization, economic development and job creation initiatives.

“We found great success collaborating with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to help local communities succeed,” said Martin Sundquist, executive director, Wells Fargo Housing Foundation. “Wells Fargo believes it is important to help people succeed financially. By joining efforts with community organizations and nonprofits, we are able to support initiatives that accelerate local economic recovery, which in turn strengthens the communities in which we live and work.” 

USCM member cities can nominate up to three eligible nonprofit initiatives that address one of the following categories:

  • Neighborhood stabilization – projects designed to stimulate growth and stability while assisting in the removal of blight and the rebuilding of neighborhoods.
  • Economic development – projects designed to promote business development.
  • Job creation – projects designed to aid in local job creation or assist in job training.

Grant requirements, application details, application checklists, and the online application forms are available now at usmayors.org/communitywins. Applications must be submitted by March 18, 2016.

With the inaugural CommunityWINS grant program in 2015, grants were presented to six nonprofits including Civic Works, Inc. (Baltimore), Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind (Little Rock, Ark.), West Sacramento Foundation (West Sacramento, Calif.), Newark Community Economic Development Corporation (Newark, N.J.), NeighborWorks Green Bay (Green Bay, Wisc.), and Lima-Allen County Neighborhoods in Partnership (Lima, Ohio).

The CommunityWINS grant program collaboration between the USCM and Wells Fargo follows a national alliance formed in 2011 to address foreclosure prevention, property disposition, homeownership promotion and community development. The three-year alliance was forged to address housing challenges through strategies developed by Wells Fargo.