PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. today marked the start of National Financial Literacy Month by announcing enhancements to its financial literacy program, Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money. This program gives consumers and small businesses the confidence and resources they need to budget, save, invest and be fiscally healthy. New components include a competitive application process for nonprofits to apply for funding, a social media initiative to celebrate “Money Mentors,” and an online financial literacy resource center dedicated to encouraging healthy financial habits.
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural program, which saw the bank partner with more than 120 nonprofits to reach more than 100,000 consumers and small businesses, this year’s Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money program includes $1.5 million in funding to be awarded throughout 2014. The bank is now accepting applications from nonprofits that deliver financial literacy programming to adults. To receive consideration for corporate gifts ranging in size from $10,000 - $50,000, eligible nonprofits in the communities served by Citizens Bank and Charter One should submit an online application by April 25, 2014. For more information on nonprofit programs and services that may qualify for funding, or how to submit an application, please visit the Citizens Bank charitable grants page or Charter One charitable grants page.
“We know from our customers, our community partners and national studies that there is a strong need for financial education, not just in April but throughout the year,” said Brad Conner, Vice Chairman of Consumer Banking. “Learning how to manage money is the first step people can take in understanding their financial goals and leading fiscally healthy lives, and we are committed to helping our customers and others in the communities we serve manage their finances and reach their financial goals.”
Throughout April, RBSCFG is encouraging Facebook and Twitter users to nominate their “Money Mentor” – someone who has inspired them to adopt better money habits – and share the advice they think will help others using the hashtag #moneymentor. More information on how to participate can be found on Citizens Bank’s Facebook page or Charter One’s Facebook page.
The bank today is also launching a Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money online resource center with information and tools to help consumers manage and understand their finances. The page includes practical financial tips, calculators and other tools to help consumers plan for life’s most important events throughout the year as well as highlight support in local communities.
It is another example of RBSCFG’s commitment to make banking simple, clear and personal for Citizens Bank and Charter One customers, and complements the bank’s online overdraft resource center, created last year to help customers manage their accounts, avoid unwanted fees and be fiscally healthy.
Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money again this year will see Citizens Bank, Charter One and RBS Citizens colleagues using their financial expertise to teach consumers and small business about how to make smart financial decisions.
Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money is part of the bank’s broader Citizens Helping Citizens program, which addresses five key areas: hunger, housing, economic development, financial education and volunteerism.
About Citizens Helping Citizens
Grounded in the belief that a good bank gives back to its community and to the people who live there, Citizens Helping Citizens is a program embracing the community goals of RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. – the commercial bank holding company serving consumer and small business customers as Citizens Bank and Charter One and commercial banking customers as RBS Citizens. The Citizens Helping Citizens program is composed of five key initiatives supported directly by RBSCFG and its nonprofit charitable foundations, the Citizens Charitable Foundation, the Citizens Bank Foundation and the Charter One Foundation: Citizens Helping Citizens Fight Hunger, Citizens Helping Citizens Provide Shelter, Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities (economic development), Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money (financial education) and Citizens Helping Citizens Give (volunteerism and colleague charitable donations). Across all of these initiatives, Citizens Helping Citizens strives to enhance quality of life and economic vitality in local communities.
About RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is a $122 billion commercial bank holding company. It is headquartered in Providence, R.I., and through its subsidiaries has approximately 1,400 branches, over 3,500 ATMs and more than 18,000 colleagues. It operates a branch network in 12 states and has non-branch retail and commercial offices in more than 30 states. Its two bank subsidiaries are RBS Citizens, N.A., and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. They operate a branch network under the Citizens Bank brand in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Charter One brand in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. RBSCFG is owned by RBS (the Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc). RBSCFG’s website is citizensbank.com.
