Community Impact & Partnerships
Giving to our communities
Columbia Bank, through the Columbia Bank Community Impact Fund, believes in the power of philanthropy and partnership by leading with a transformative Community Impact Strategy that puts communities first—while supporting our values and commitments to our Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) and the federally mandated Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). To that end, Columbia Bank is committed to improving the economic prosperity of under-resourced individuals, families, small businesses, and communities throughout our footprint.
Our impact strategy is driven by regulatory and strategic alignment, a balanced funding approach, and long-term partnerships. To advance our strategy, our Priority Focus Areas will guide investments in:
Financial Mobility
We invest in opportunities that empower individuals and communities to achieve lasting financial independence through microbusiness development, technical assistance, access to capital, and financial education.
Targeted funding areas include:
- Access to capital and technical assistance centers
- Financial literacy and coaching
- Small business accelerators
- Rural entrepreneurship program
Housing Stability
We advance housing stability by supporting affordable housing development, preservation, temporary housing solutions, and pathways to homeownership, creating stronger, more resilient communities for generations to come.
Targeted funding areas include:
- Down payment assistance programs
- Housing counseling, tenant stability, and anti-displacement efforts
- Housing repair and energy efficiency programs
- Transitional housing
Community Resilience
We strengthen community resilience by promoting education, workforce development, and essential services that enable economic participation, laying the foundation for strong, vibrant futures.
Targeted funding areas include:
- Youth development and workforce readiness
- Food security and community health
- Nonprofit capacity building, infrastructure and leadership programs
- Climate and disaster resilience initiatives
Beginning in 2026, philanthropic investments and grants through the Columbia Bank Community Impact Fund will be by invitation only, with the emphasis on strong, current associate volunteer engagement and clear strategic alignment with our Priority Focus Areas. We are unable to accept unsolicited grant requests or Letters of Intent from nonprofit organizations, and there are no open grant application cycles.
To learn about additional ways Columbia Bank supports your community, check out our Community Impact & Engagement Overview.
Sharing our Time and Talent
Through our gold-standard Connect Volunteer Network, our associates (employees) receive up to 40 hours of paid volunteer time, lending more than 30,000 hours of their time every year. Some of the ways our associates help in the communities we serve include:
- Personal Financial Education
- Board/Committee Service
- Technical Assistance
- Small Business Financial Education
To reward our most-active associate volunteers, we have the Dollars for Doers Program, which supports associates who consistently give back to their communities and the nonprofits they serve. Associates who record 40 eligible volunteer hours in the Community Impact Hub within one calendar year are eligible to receive a $500 donation to the nonprofit of their choice.
In addition, Columbia Bank, through the Associate Giving Match Program, empowers associates to support their favorite nonprofits through personal charitable donations. The Columbia Bank Community Impact Fund offers all associates a $1,000 matching gift to match our associate’s generosity.
