M&T Bank launches ‘Understanding What’s Important Business Challenge’

Buffalo–based M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB) on Monday launched a new initiative that it says “celebrates local businesses and the organizations they support to make a difference in their communities.”

The effort, dubbed the “Understanding What’s Important Business Challenge,” asks businesses to nominate an organization in their community that they support, the bank said in a news release.

The nominated organization may become eligible to win up to $10,000 to continue its work. Businesses can submit nominations through Sept. 29.

“Local businesses help drive successful, strong communities. They create jobs, boost local economies and support neighbors in need. With the Understanding What’s Important Business Challenge, we want to celebrate local businesses that give back to their communities and to support the organizations they care about,” Eric Feldstein, senior VP and manager of business banking at M&T Bank, said in the release.

How it works

In the initiative, businesses within M&T Bank’s geographic footprint can complete a short online form to nominate an organization they support; highlight the work that the nominated organization does for the community; and how winning the competition will help that organization make “an even greater impact.”

M&T will select five finalists and provide an opportunity for the public to vote and help choose the winner.

For more details, visit http://whatsimportant.mtb.com/businesscontest.

Following open nominations, M&T Bank will announce five finalist organizations on Nov. 2. Each finalist organization will win $1,000.

The public will then have the opportunity to cast their vote for their favorite of the five finalist organizations. Voting ends Nov. 22.

M&T Bank will announce the winning local organization on Nov. 28. It will award the grand prize winner up to $10,000. The remaining four finalists will each receive $1,000.

All businesses within New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia are eligible to participate in the challenge.

To be eligible to win $10,000, local organizations can be focused on any community objective.

Official contest rules are available at https://bank.mtb.com/BusinessContestRules

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com