NEFMA Spring Conference

Financial institutions have long been cornerstones in local communities and markets. Oftentimes, Marketing Professionals at financial institutions are charged with fostering relationships with local businesses, schools, and nonprofit organizations. This is usually administered through charitable giving, donations, scholarships, event sponsorships, and encouraging employee volunteerism. Community involvement likely remains a key pillar in your institution's public image and outreach efforts. While it is important to serve those in need, what if these initiatives could do more? What if they could become a key driver of business development and revenue growth?

And, what if you could utilize community involvement as a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) to tell your story to senior leadership?

In this session, you’ll uncover how to transform your community engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives into strategic opportunities for business growth. We’ll explore actionable strategies to align community involvement with measurable business development goals—helping you identify, nurture, and capitalize on relationships that benefit both your organization and the communities you serve.

Track the Right Impact Data: Learn how to effectively capture and measure meaningful data from your charitable activities, sponsorships, events, and volunteer programs. Understand which metrics can be used to identify new business opportunities and lead to revenue growth.

Turn Community Partnerships into Opportunities: Discover practical ways to leverage relationships with nonprofits, schools, and businesses to create mutually beneficial outcomes. We’ll discuss how charitable initiatives can help uncover leads for lending and accounts, build trust, and expand your customer base.

Align CSR Initiatives with Business Goals: Learn how to connect community outreach with your organization’s broader growth strategy. Whether it’s identifying new markets, enhancing visibility, or engaging local organizations, you’ll see how CSR can directly impact your bottom line. We'll also discuss how these metrics can be shared with senior leaders for you to tell the story and quantify the value community outreach brings.

Tell Stories That Resonate: A compelling community impact story or Annual Report can be a powerful tool to win over potential customers and strengthen existing relationships. You’ll learn how to craft and share narratives that highlight your institution’s role as a trusted partner in your community while showcasing your commitment to growth.

Engage Your Team for Greater Results: Employee volunteerism is more than just a “feel-good” activity—it’s a strategic way to increase community presence, build stronger relationships, and demonstrate leadership in your industry. We’ll discuss how fostering a culture of engagement and encouraging Relationship Managers and Lenders to sit on boards or volunteer can drive new business.

Through real-world examples, you’ll see how financial institutions like yours have successfully aligned their CSR and business development strategies to drive measurable growth. By tracking the right data, telling better stories, and identifying actionable opportunities, you can turn your community involvement into a powerful tool for revenue generation.

This session is ideal for Marketing Professionals who have been tasked with tracking and managing a charitable giving budget, Community Relations Managers who are building a program, or anyone who is looking to elevate their community outreach efforts and tie them directly to growth metrics.

Join us to learn how you can bridge the gap between community impact and business success—ensuring your institution thrives while serving those who matter most: your community.