Bringing Value to Our Communities
We believe in paying it forward.
The Fulton Forward® initiative was developed to help make our communities better, one change at a time. Along with our entire Fulton family, we’re proud of the Fulton Forward program and our contributions toward building vibrant communities with programs, products and services focused on four key areas:
- Affordable Housing and Home Ownership
- Job Training and Workforce Development
- Financial Literacy
- Economic Empowerment
We work actively with groups and organizations that help communities change lives for the better.
William “Smokey” Glover, Executive Vice President and Director of Fair & Responsible Banking, leads a dedicated team of community outreach officers who work closely in the communities where we live and work.
"We work toward building vibrant communities with programs, products and services that empower people to Change Lives for the Better.”
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Timothy Owens / New Homeowner |
The Keys to Equity ProgramLaunched in 2024, the Keys program, developed by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, provides up to $20,000 in grant funding to first-time homebuyers who meet eligibility criteria. This initiative helps reduce barriers to homeownership for underserved groups. If approved, the grant is fully forgivable without any repayment terms.
“The KEYS Program was life-changing, for without it I would not have been afforded the opportunity of homeownership in the current economy,’’ said new Maryland homeowner Timothy Owens. |
Fulton Forward Foundation
Committing to the communities in which we live and work has been a hallmark of Fulton since our founding. Today, philanthropy and volunteerism are key to our work and our vision as an organization. In addition to making its own charitable contributions, Fulton funds the Fulton Forward Foundation, an independent private nonprofit foundation.
Following Fulton’s acquisition of Republic First Bank assets in 2024, we committed to supporting Philadelphia’s Restore, Repair, Renew (RRR) initiative, a program designed to help homeowners access low- interest loans for critical home repairs.
Through the program, Fulton offers 10-year loans ranging from $2,500 to $50,000, at a 3% fixed annual percentage rate.
The RRR initiative provides a lifeline for Philadelphians who want to improve their homes but need financial assistance. Eligible repairs include those that enhance health, safety, weatherization, accessibility and quality of life.
Fulton’s commitment to the RRR program is a testament to our broader dedication to community-focused lending. As part of the program, Fulton works closely with eligible homeowners to guide them through the loan process, making financing accessible and stress-free.
Fulton employees volunteered at this two-day innovative STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) festival and E-gaming experience. The Maryland-based nonprofit Steam Your Dreams organized the event at downtown Baltimore’s Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology.
At Fulton’s interactive station, 13 volunteers worked hands-on with 250 children ages 7 to 14, teaching them how to create paper piggy banks. They also used Visa’s® Financial Football, which uses sports to teach financial concepts such as budgeting, saving and smart spending.
Fulton developed an early-stage financing grant program for entrepreneurs. The Fulton Forward Foundation provided a grant of $500,000 to two community organizations, The Enterprise Center in Philadelphia and Baltimore Community Lending. The funding will be used to provide grants in $10,000 increments to deserving entrepreneurs. Grant recipients must commit to participate in a technical assistance program provided by the organizations for two years after receiving the grant.
The goal is to provide funds for start-ups and companies in business for less than two years. These companies typically have very limited financing options and very high failure rates primarily due to the burden of repaying high-interest debt while attempting to grow the business and not having a detailed and realistic business plan for that growth.
Community Development & Lending
Fulton offers education, financing and development services to businesses, organizations and individuals in low-income communities, including microenterprises, small businesses, and housing and community service organizations. Fulton is working to support solutions by providing financing to organizations that develop affordable housing.
The century-old Allentown Metal Works in Pennsylvania, once a symbol of South Allentown’s industrial prowess, is being revitalized by Marcon Properties LLC, with financing help from Fulton.
Marcon Properties tapped our expertise in new market tax credit financing, a federal initiative incentivizing corporate investors to fund business or economic development projects in low-income communities.
The 175,000-square-foot facility will house Eastern Exterior Wall Systems, a prefabricated facade manufacturer owned by Marcon and previously operating in Palmer Township. With between 100 and 175 employees already on board, the move allows Eastern Exterior Wall Systems to expand. The project could create 50 to 150 jobs.
The Michaels Organization turned to Fulton to help finance its now-under-construction Park Village at Garden State Park, an affordable senior housing community in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. With our experience with federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Fulton played a crucial role in securing financing for the apartment complex, which helps to address the growing need for affordable senior housing in the region.
The community will feature a 76-unit midrise structure with one- and two-bedroom apartments exclusively for seniors 62 and older with a range of incomes. Units will be available to households earning 20% to 60% of area median income and a portion of units will be set aside to serve residents with special needs.
When it was looking to redevelop a large section of downtown Reading, Pennsylvania, the Shuman Development group reached out to Fulton.
Plans are to renovate and expand the former Community General Hospital, the last remaining hospital in downtown Reading, into a community healthcare facility that trains local nurses, includes a local pharmacy and serves myriad other community healthcare needs. The project also includes expanding the neighborhood farmers market and introducing a nutrition training center.
Fulton is working with Shuman Development Group to secure $18.7 million in New Markets Tax Credit financing. The project will anchor the revitalization of Reading’s North 6th Street neighborhood.
The project’s impact on the area is expected to create 95 jobs and 40 living-wage construction jobs during renovations; expand health care services in the city; provide construction training opportunities for parolees; and increase annual tax revenue to the City of Reading by nearly $600,000.
