Turning Gaps Into Gateways: How Companies Are Building Pathways to Opportunity

Corporate giving and volunteering have long been core staples of corporate social responsibility—a way for companies to support causes, respond to crises, and show up in the community. But calculating the value of these efforts isn't as straightforward as adding up numbers on checks.

In today's world, community impact isn't a function of how much a company gives. It's a reflection of how they give—and why. With strategic efforts, small and mid-sized companies often punch above their weight in terms of impact. They invest in people, not just programs. They build relationships, foster trust, and create space for real, human connection—both outside the company and within it. They show up, stay engaged, and understand that real change doesn't happen according to a fiscal calendar; it happens over time, with care and consistency.

This article profiles two organizations—Columbia Bank and Independence Blue Cross—that exemplify what effective corporate philanthropy looks like. Their stories illustrate approaches that turn barriers into bridges and gaps into gateways, investing in innovative solutions that serve both individuals and broader communities by drawing on resources and capacities that already exist.

Columbia Bank: Embedding Equity in the Business of Banking

Columbia Bank is reshaping what it means to be a financial institution rooted in service. Through a series of mergers—including Umpqua Bank in 2023 and the acquisition of Pacific Premier Bancorp in 2025—Columbia has grown rapidly, now spanning eight Western states with 6,000 employees and $70 billion in assets.

Yet the company remains grounded in community. At Columbia, service is embedded into the associate experience: every associate receives 40 hours of paid volunteer time annually, and those who use it are eligible for a $500 grant to a nonprofit of their choice through the Dollars for Doers program. In addition, through the Associate Matching Program, the bank's Foundation provides a dollar-for-dollar matching grant up to $1,000 per year to support their associates' efforts and their communities.

"Our executives continually demonstrate that community service isn't just a bolt on; it's integrated into your personal and business life to deliver lasting impact," said Amy Betts, ESG Program Director, and a longtime volunteer captain for the bank's Melanie Dressel Community Commitment Month, which mobilized 640 associates to support over 400 charities in April 2025 alone.

This ethos is most clearly seen in the bank's longstanding partnership with Financial Beginnings, a Portland-based nonprofit advancing financial literacy. Over 360 Columbia associates have been trained to deliver lessons to students, incarcerated individuals, and underserved communities across the bank's footprint. Columbia backs this effort with significant philanthropic investment—including over $235,000 in recent grants—and with leadership: Columbia's Pedar Bruce, Community Impact Officer, now serves on the organization's board.

"Whether it's a classroom, correctional facility, or a community center, our people are showing up—not just to teach, but to connect community organizations with the financial education they need," Bruce explained. "Over the years, we have continued to evolve our support for Financial

Beginnings, providing advice and counsel and pivoting as needed to support their growth objectives. Today, with virtual access, our team members have the ability to bring these vital resources to communities nationwide."

Columbia's commitment to financial inclusion goes even deeper. Through its Matched Savings Account (MSA) product, the bank is supporting low-income individuals save toward life-changing goals like homeownership or starting a business. These accounts, often part of state-run or foundation-supported Individual Development Account (IDA) or Matched Investment Savings Account (MISA) programs, offer both matching contributions and financial coaching—tools that can transform lives, not just bank balances.

Since launching the product, Columbia has tripled its number of community partners and grown its MSA program from a pilot in two states to a company-wide effort spanning more than 300 branches. It's now the official banking partner for Washington's MISA program and a lead bank in Oregon's IDA Initiative.

Behind the scenes, Columbia has invested heavily in internal infrastructure—hiring dedicated staff, creating training programs for frontline associates and provider organizations, compliance frameworks, and custom systems to ensure each MSA participant receives the same quality of service as any customer."

These individuals are not just short-term clients," said Randy Choy, Vice President of Philanthropy Programs for Columbia Bank and Managing Director of the bank's foundation. "They're future homeowners, entrepreneurs, and long-term banking customers. We're not just giving access—we're building futures and strengthening communities."

Independence Blue Cross: Building Bridges from Service to Healing

While Columbia Bank is removing financial barriers, the Independence Blue Cross (IBX) Foundation is tackling a different kind of gap—one that sits at the intersection of workforce development and veteran reintegration. Thanks to their Service Scholars® Pathway Program, military veterans are now training to step into urgently needed nursing roles, repurposing some of their strongest skillsets and using student aid funding in a strategic way.

For nearly 15 years, the IBX Foundation has been positively impacting health. By the end of 2025, the Foundation will have awarded more than $90 million to improve healthcare access, strengthen the health workforce, and enable solutions for better community health—including more than $23 million to grow the number of prepared nurses through scholarship, pathway, and internship programs, resulting in more than 6,500 scholarships awarded and nearly 300 internships.

The genesis of Service Scholars came from a powerful realization: veterans reintegrating into civilian life are seeking the sense of mission, meaning, and purpose they found during their service to our country. At the same time, our nation needs more nurses. With their training and experience, military veterans are an ideal fit to address this healthcare workforce gap.

But the path wasn't clear. Many students face financial uncertainties when enrolling in college, but veterans experience additional obstacles. Pre-requisite challenges, previous learning disruptions, and low GPAs prior to service can all impede veterans from successfully enrolling in nursing school. Once accepted, many find that their military college credit and their academic credit for their military transcript experience do not transfer. The IBX Foundation had the experience, relationships, and the resources to remove those barriers and accelerate veterans into nursing.

The timeline was remarkably swift. Research began in January 2023. By May, IBX engaged regional nursing school leadership at their annual Nursing School Deans and Directors Meetings. In November 2023, they announced the Service Scholars program. Just one month later, they awarded the first grants to support 18 student veterans at five nursing schools in Southeastern Pennsylvania. By May 2025, the first 10 Service Scholars graduated.

The program has since expanded to seven schools, and the IBX Foundation's goal is clear: replication and expansion both locally and nationally. They are committed to working with government, business, higher education, and veterans service organizations to create more opportunities for veterans to become nurses.

The Foundation draws on nearly 15 years of strong relationships with all 20 regional nursing schools through various health workforce initiatives, including their Nurses for Tomorrow® Scholarship Program and Nursing Internship Program. To participate in Service Scholars, schools must have a Yellow Ribbon Program agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, accept American Council on Education transcripts, and guarantee Service Scholars will not need to pay out of pocket for their tuition.

Select local nursing schools receive funding from the IBX Foundation to enhance the educational benefits provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Yellow Ribbon Program. Additionally, the Foundation provides schools with dedicated resources to support the success of student veterans beyond the academic setting, including nontuition financial support as well as mentorship through American Corporate Partners.

The program has revealed surprising systemic challenges. Many schools either do not participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program or do not maximize their contributions, even though the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers a dollar-for-dollar match for institutional funding. Many colleges and universities do not accept ACE transcripts, which translate a veteran's training record into equivalent college credits. And colleges often have trouble tracking student veterans through recruitment, enrollment, and matriculation, making it difficult to support academic progress and assist active-duty students through learning disruptions when mobilized for military service.

Service Scholars is addressing these challenges head-on, supporting student veterans' success in higher education, easing the transition to civilian life, and addressing a growing shortage in the health workforce. The program is the result of collaboration between the IBX Foundation, higher education, and veterans service organizations such as Student Veterans of America.

Healthcare is a top career choice for veterans, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers is the largest employer of nurses in the country. Service Scholars is creating a replicable and scalable solution to have more highly-skilled nurses at the bedside.

Investing in Journeys

Both Columbia Bank and Independence Blue Cross are charting paths that corporate citizenship professionals can learn from. Their work is long-term, rooted in trust, and unapologetically human.