- Matt Hauge
- 37 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Bank of America has named the Polk County Housing Trust Fund (PCHTF) as its 2025 Neighborhood Builder® for their work in providing affordable housing in Iowa. Bank of America’s signature Neighborhood Builders program is one of the nation’s largest philanthropic investments in nonprofit leadership development, providing multi-year, flexible grant funding to high-impact nonprofits in communities nationwide.
As a Neighborhood Builder, Polk County Housing Trust Fund will receive a $50,000 grant over two years, leadership training for the executive director and an emerging leader, and the opportunity to connect with nonprofits in a peer network.
“Our local nonprofits are crucial to addressing local challenges in Iowa," said Heidi Parkhurst, president, Bank of America Iowa. “Through flexible funding and comprehensive leadership training, the Neighborhood Builders program helps nonprofits address critical needs and promote economic opportunity for the individuals and families in our communities.”
The grant will be invested in the newly announced Housing Opportunities for Preservation and Expansion (HOPE) Initiative – an effort designed to preserve single-family housing, expand multifamily housing, and support talent development in building trades and housing development in Polk County.
The HOPE Initiative includes two programs. PCHTF has previously announced the Develop the Developer Launchpad, a two-week classroom experience and co-development fellowship for emerging real estate developers. The organization will soon announce the Work That Impacts Housing Program to preserve and improve owner-occupied homes, while creating workforce development opportunities through a six-month pre-apprenticeship program in the building trades.
“We are grateful to Bank of America for supporting these new programs that will address the lack of affordable housing in Polk County by tackling the issue locally and utilizing a grassroots approach,” said Toby O’Berry, executive director at the Polk County Housing Trust Fund.
Neighborhood Builders is part of the bank’s longstanding efforts to build thriving communities by addressing issues fundamental to economic opportunity. Since 2004, Bank of America’s Neighborhood Builders program has invested more than $346 million in communities across the U.S. and trained more than 4,000 leaders at nearly 2,000 U.S. nonprofits.