ST. LOUIS, Mo. (August 10, 2026) Eighteen nonprofit organizations serving the St. Louis region will receive a total of $400,000 in grants to support housing, small-business growth, youth development, education, leadership, financial opportunity, and neighborhood stability.
Midwest BankCentre, the second largest privately held community bank in the St. Louis region, contributed $100,000 directly to the grant program and secured a $300,000 matching grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines through its Member Impact Fund. The 3-to-1 match created a total of $400,000 in funding for local organizations.
Midwest BankCentre has received the matching funds, and grants are being distributed to the nonprofit organizations.
Strong communities rely on these organizations. They understand the needs of the people they serve, and they are doing the daily work that moves neighborhoods, families, and small businesses forward. We are proud to partner with them and help direct these resources where they can do the most good for the St. Louis region.
Wes Burns, Chief Community and Economic Development Officer, Midwest BankCentre
2026 Funding Awards
| Organization | Award | Community Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Beyond Housing, Inc. | $50,000 | Comprehensive, place-based community development and neighborhood transformation |
| HCC STL Foundation | $50,000 | Small-business growth and economic opportunity within the Hispanic business community |
| The Housing Partnership Inc. | $50,000 | Affordable housing, homeownership, and neighborhood stability |
| Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church | $35,000 | Housing, workforce development, economic opportunity, and neighborhood investment |
| A Seat at the Table | $35,000 | Leadership development and expanded access to business and civic opportunities |
| Lift for Life Gym, Inc. | $25,000 | Youth safety, mentorship, nutrition, athletics, and personal development |
| Refuge and Restoration | $25,000 | Community capacity, leadership, and neighborhood resilience |
| Small Business Empowerment Center | $25,000 | Technical assistance, access to capital, and sustainable business growth |
| Northside Youth and Senior Service Center Inc. | $15,000 | Community revitalization and quality-of-life improvements in North St. Louis |
| Covenant House Missouri | $10,000 | Housing, stability, and pathways to independence for vulnerable youth |
| Dream Builders 4 Equity | $10,000 | Entrepreneurship, wealth creation, and economic mobility |
| ETA Boule Foundation | $10,000 | Scholarships, education, leadership development, and civic engagement |
| Focus St. Louis | $10,000 | Civic leadership development and regional collaboration |
| Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition of Missouri | $10,000 | Support for children and families involved in foster care and adoption |
| Harris-Stowe State University Foundation | $10,000 | Talent development and support for future educators, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders |
| St. Louis American Foundation | $10,000 | Community journalism and access to relevant local information |
| Tabernacle Community Development Corporation (The Hub) | $10,000 | Neighborhood revitalization and community development in North St. Louis |
| Tower Grove Neighborhoods CDC | $10,000 | Housing, placemaking, commercial corridors, and neighborhood vitality |
| Total | $400,000 |
Investing in Shared Prosperity
The grants support Midwest BankCentre’s Shared Prosperity strategy, which is designed to strengthen the institutions that create opportunity, build wealth, develop leaders, stabilize neighborhoods, support families, and expand economic participation throughout the St. Louis region.
The recipients support several areas of community development, including:
- Housing, homeownership, and neighborhood stability
- Small-business development and entrepreneurship
- Youth services, education, and mentorship
- Workforce and leadership development
- Financial access and wealth creation
- Civic engagement and neighborhood development
These grants support a connected network of organizations working across housing, education, entrepreneurship, youth development, and neighborhood investment. By supporting that work collectively, we can help expand opportunity and strengthen the St. Louis region.
Wes Burns
Across Missouri, 956 applications received funding through partnerships with 174 member financial institutions. FHLB Des Moines provided $3 for every $1 contributed by a member institution. Participating institutions contributed nearly $6.5 million, generating $19.4 million in matching funds from FHLB Des Moines.
The Member Impact Fund provides matching grants through partnerships between FHLB Des Moines member financial institutions and eligible nonprofit organizations or government entities that support affordable housing or community development.
About Midwest BankCentre
Midwest BankCentre’s assets exceed $3.00 billion, with approximately $2.5 billion in deposits as of March 31, 2026. A mainstay of the greater St. Louis community banking scene since 1906, the bank employs about 280 team members across 14 bank locations in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis, Jefferson, and St. Charles counties in Missouri, along with a loan production office in St. Clair County, Illinois. Midwest BankCentre also opened a business production office in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2023.
The bank empowers people, enables businesses, and energizes neighborhoods through the strength of its financial services, including personalized consumer and business banking, business cash management, mortgage lending, home equity loans, financial planning and investments, insurance services, and digital banking solutions.
Since 2001, Midwest BankCentre has earned Bauer Financial’s 5-Star Superior rating every quarter, reflecting consistent, long-term financial strength and stability. The bank is widely recognized for expanding access to affordable capital in traditionally underserved markets and for advancing financial inclusion for low- and moderate-income customers. Honors include National Top Workplace awards from Energage and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2021 through 2026, with multiple distinctions in diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as recognition for Employee Appreciation, Employee Well-Being, and Professional Development for the third consecutive year.
About Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines
Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines is committed to strengthening communities, serving 13 states and three U.S. Pacific territories as a member-owned cooperative. We work together with over 1,200 member institutions to support affordable housing, economic development, and community improvement.
FHLB Des Moines is one of 11 regional Banks that make up the Federal Home Loan Bank System. Members include community and commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, thrifts, and community development financial institutions. FHLB Des Moines is wholly owned by its members and receives no taxpayer funding.