Citi Foundation Community Finance Innovation Fund

The Citi Foundation's Community Finance Initiative represents a strategic philanthropic effort to enhance the financial resilience of low-income communities across the United States. With a newly announced $35 million investment for its 2026 cycle, the Foundation is reaffirming its commitment to economic equity through support for community-based solutions that enable vulnerable households to manage financial pressures, build long-term assets, and protect against economic setbacks. The Foundation operates with a “More than Philanthropy” ethos, leveraging not only financial capital but also the deep expertise and volunteerism of Citi employees to expand the impact of its initiatives. The 2026 Community Finance Initiative will distribute 70 grants of $500,000 each over a two-year period to nonprofits actively working in select geographies where Citi has a presence. These grants will be awarded for projects that fall within one or more of three critical focus areas: Stabilize, Strengthen, and Safeguard. The Stabilize category supports efforts like financial coaching, debt counseling, and navigation of public benefit programs to help households maintain basic stability amid financial stress. The Strengthen category focuses on building financial assets and credit, supporting activities such as credit repair, emergency fund programs, and first-time homebuyer education. Finally, the Safeguard category seeks to protect household finances through initiatives like fraud prevention, identity theft recovery, and safe use of digital financial tools. Eligible applicants must be U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charities whose mission and strategy clearly prioritize serving low-income individuals or communities. Projects must also serve at least one of the specified target geographies, which include over 50 counties and regions across California, New York, Florida, Illinois, and other states, as well as territory-wide efforts in Puerto Rico and state-wide projects in South Dakota. Fiscal sponsorship is not permitted for this funding opportunity. Applicants must also be able to submit externally audited financial statements covering part of calendar year 2024 or later. The application process is competitive and consists of two stages. The first step is submission of a Letter of Inquiry (LOI), which must be completed through the Foundation’s online portal by 12:00 p.m. ET on February 18, 2026. Applicants are encouraged to use the editable PDF template provided on the portal to draft responses before completing the online submission. Selected organizations will be notified by May 2026 if they are invited to move forward to the second phase, which is the full grant application. Final funding decisions are expected by September 2026. The grant period for funded projects will begin no earlier than August 1, 2026 and must conclude no later than December 31, 2028. Funded projects may use grant dollars for a wide variety of program-related expenses, including personnel, technology, communications, training, convenings, evaluation, marketing, and indirect overhead. Regranting is permitted, but organizations must ensure appropriate vetting and oversight of any sub-grantees. Grant funds may not be used for political activity, lobbying, or support of fiscal sponsorship arrangements. Importantly, although current and former grantees of the Citi Foundation are eligible to apply, organizations must clearly explain how their proposed project differs from or builds upon previously funded initiatives. The Citi Foundation emphasizes strategic alignment, feasibility, and potential for impact in its review process. Organizations should be aware that submission of an LOI does not guarantee progression to the full application stage, and due to volume, individualized feedback on rejected LOIs will not be provided. For additional information or questions not addressed in the published materials, organizations may contact the Foundation at [email protected].

Align project scope with Stabilize, Strengthen, or Safeguard categories and ensure target geography match; ensure audited financials are ready.