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Beneficial State Bank partners with FHLBank San Francisco to award $599,000 in grants to four California nonprofits
Sep 29, 2025
AHEAD Program grants will support green jobs training, sustainable homeownership, and youth workforce development in underserved communities
OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 29, 2025 – Beneficial State Bank, in collaboration with the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco), announced today $599,000 in grants to four nonprofit organizations advancing economic development in California's low- to moderate-income communities. The bank applied for the grants in partnership with Civicorps, U.S. Green Building Council California, Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services, and Green Tech, which were selected through a competitive process that attracted 400 applications.
The AHEAD (Affordable Housing, Economic Advancement, and Development) Program enables FHLBank San Francisco members to provide grants to nonprofits that drive local economic growth in underserved communities. In 2025, FHLBank San Francisco increased voluntary funding for the program to $8 million, responding to extraordinary demand across its three-state district. Since the AHEAD program's inception in 2004, FHLBank San Francisco has awarded over $40 million in grants to nearly 940 economic vitality projects across Arizona, California, and Nevada.
"In this year's highly competitive application cycle, we received 400 AHEAD grant proposals, underscoring the widespread need for support to drive local economic vitality across our district," said Eric Cicourel, Community Investment Officer at FHLBank San Francisco. "We are proud to partner with Beneficial State Bank in awarding these grants, recognizing the important work these organizations do in their communities."
Advanced Skill Building for Green Jobs – Civicorps ($150,000)
Civicorps, one of the region’s first conservation corps, will use its $150,000 grant to expand the Green Skills training program in Oakland. The initiative provides hands-on environmental job training for young adults, preparing them for employment in the growing green economy. Participants will engage in environmental enhancement and mitigation projects throughout Alameda County while building critical workforce skills. AHEAD funds will support training sessions and program coordinator positions to strengthen capacity.
Green Jobs for All - Workforce Inclusion in the Clean Economy – U.S. Green Building Council California ($149,000)
The U.S. Green Building Council California (USGBC-CA) will launch its Green Jobs for All project with $149,000 in funding, focusing on workforce inclusion in San Diego County’s clean energy transition. The program will train 20 green energy ambassadors from climate-vulnerable communities, offering certifications in green building and home energy assessments. In addition to job creation, the initiative will help lower utility costs, improve air quality, and increase energy literacy in underserved neighborhoods. Beneficial State Bank Senior Vice President Monique Johnson serves on USGBC-CA’s Board as Treasurer, further strengthening the partnership between the two mission-aligned organizations.
Resilient Homeownership Project – Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services ($150,000)
Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services will receive $150,000 to expand access to housing opportunity and disaster preparedness in underserved rural and farmworker communities in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The Resilient Homeownership Project will provide targeted outreach, education, and wildfire resilience services to help residents preserve homeownership through repairs and preparedness upgrades. Funding will support staff salaries, bilingual educational materials, and enhancements to performance monitoring systems.
SPARK Academy – Green Tech ($150,000)
Green Tech will receive $150,000 for its SPARK Academy, which prepares high school students and young adults in Sacramento for careers in advanced manufacturing, automation, and engineering. Using a hands-on, team-based rotational model, participants will gain experience in manufacturing and engineering design while developing essential soft skills such as digital literacy and communication. AHEAD funds will support curriculum development, instructor salaries, equipment purchases, and transportation for participants from underserved communities.
Beneficial State Bank (Beneficial State) is a state-chartered, federally insured bank with branches in California, Oregon, and Washington. Beneficial State serves the triple bottom line of people, planet, and prosperity for all, which involves serving its communities, supporting positive environmental outcomes, and achieving long-term financial sustainability. A unique ownership structure supports these strategic priorities: the bank’s equity capital is majority-owned by the nonprofit Beneficial State Foundation. This means its economic rights are fully aligned with, and permanently governed in, the public interest.
Beneficial State Bank is a founding signatory of the UN’s Principles for Responsible Banking, a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Fossil Free Certified, and one of the world’s top-rated Certified B Corporations.
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