Bank of America Grants $10 Million to Support Early Childhood Development Through the United Way.

Business Editors

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 28, 2000

Bank of America Foundation today announced $10 million in grants to the United Way to support Success By 6(R) initiatives across the country. The grants are the second phase of a $50 million commitment--the largest the Foundation has ever made and one of the largest corporate grants in history--to the United Way to help ensure that all children enter school ready to learn.

"It is critical to the future of our country that every child has a fair chance at success when they enter school. This community partnership is the most important contribution we can make to children's well-being," said Kenneth D. Lewis, president and chief operating officer of the Bank of America.

This year, 139 United Way agencies in communities throughout the Bank of America franchise received grants (see attachment for complete listing of grant winners). The grants will provide funding for local United Ways throughout the company's franchise to develop or enhance Success By 6 initiatives. Currently, more than 300 local United Ways are engaged in the Success By 6 model across the country.

"We're beginning to see great results from communities that have benefited from Bank of America's Success By 6 grants in the past year and we're excited about the long-term benefits to come," said Lynn E. Drury, president of the Bank of America Foundation."

Some examples of Success By 6 initiatives include:

--   A Baltimore, MD, initiative that coordinates parenting education
     through seven neighborhood-based family resource centers. Support
     services focus on pre-natal health to increase infant birth
     weight and to decrease the incidence of child abuse and neglect.

--   In Yakima, WA, a newborn training and child development package
     for hospital personnel that serves new parents. Special services
     for Hispanic residents include home visitations by bilingual
     facilitators to encourage regular immunizations and standard
     health check-ups.

--   And in Kansas City, MO, a community-wide child care accreditation
     effort is underway to improve the quality of its 500 licensed
     child care centers. Today, 42 centers have achieved accreditation
     and the Heart of America United Way has leveraged $1.9 million in
     local and state funding towards this effort.

United Ways throughout the bank's franchise were invited to apply for Success By 6 funding. Applicants were rated on the following criteria: goals and objectives; community involvement; results and accountability; management, and funding.

Three kinds of grants were awarded: planning grants for up to nine months, one-year implementation grants to expand new efforts and sustaining grants to increase the capacity of existing early childhood initiatives.

United Way of America will administer the grants on an annual basis.

"Bank of America's investment in Success By 6 redefines leadership-by-example," said United Way of America President Betty S. Beene. "They are pioneering a new kind of partnership with local communities. The dividend of their investment will be real solutions to the critical issues that affect all of America's children."

United Way of America is a national service organization, providing training, resources and technical assistance to 1,400 member United Way agencies. In 1998, United Ways raised $3.58 billion supporting more than 45,000 agencies that deliver programs and services to millions of people.

Bank of America is one of the top three corporate contributors to United Way in the nation. Last year, local United Way's in the bank's franchise benefited from more than $36 million in combined associate and corporate Bank of America pledges.

Bank of America, with $633 billion in assets, is the largest bank in the United States. It has full-service operations in 21 states and the District of Columbia and provides financial products and services to 30 million households and two million businesses, as well as providing international corporate financial services for business transactions in 190 countries. The Bank of America Foundation contributes financial assistance to nonprofit institutions and organizations that enhance the quality of life and promote the public interest in the areas where the company conducts its business. The primary focus of the Foundation is education. Other major areas of giving include health and human services, community development, and arts and culture.

www.bankofamerica.com www.unitedway.org

City, State        Organization Name         Grant Type      $ GRANTED

Batesville, AR     United Way of
                    Independence County, Inc.     P         $10,000.00
Fort Smith, AR     United Way of
                    Fort Smith Area, Inc.         P         $23,280.00
Jonesboro, AR      United Way of
                    Greater Jonesboro             P         $30,000.00
Springdale, AR     United Way of
                    Washington County             P         $29,841.00
AR TOTAL                                                    $93,121.00

Flagstaff, AZ      United Way of
                    Northern Arizona              I         $60,000.00
Tucson, AZ         United Way of
                    Greater Tucson                I         $96,000.00
AZ TOTAL                                                   $156,000.00

Capitola, CA       United Way of
                    Santa Cruz County             I        $125,000.00
Irvine, CA         Orange County's
                    United Way                    I        $250,000.00
Los Angeles, CA    United Way of
                    Greater Los Angeles           I        $250,000.00
Sacramento, CA     United Way
                    California Capital Region     I        $200,000.00
San Luis
 Obispo, CA        United Way of
                     San Luis Obispo County       I         $75,000.00
Grass Valley, CA   United Way
                    of Nevada County              P         $10,000.00
Salinas, CA        United Way
                    of the Salinas Valley         P         $30,000.00
Santa Clara, CA    United Way
                    Silicon Valley                P         $30,000.00
Stockton, CA       United Way
                    of San Joaquin County, Inc.   S        $175,000.00
San Francisco      United Way
                    of the Bay Area             I/state    $250,000.00
CA TOTAL                                                 $1,395,000.00

Washington, DC     United Way of the
                    National Capital Area         I        $250,000.00
DC TOTAL                                                   $250,000.00

Fort
 Lauderdale, FL    United Way of
                    Broward County                I        $225,000.00
Fort Myers, FL     United Way of
                    Lee County, Inc.              I         $60,000.00
Milton, FL         United Way of
                    Santa Rosa County, Inc.       I         $40,000.00
Ocala, FL          United Way of
                    Marion County, Inc.           P         $28,771.00
Cocoa, FL          United Way of
                    Brevard County                S         $40,000.00
Orlando, FL        Heart of Florida
                    United Way                    S         $83,300.00
Pensacola, FL      United Way of
                    Escambia County, Inc.         S         $55,000.00
Highland City, FL  United Way of
                    Central Florida              S 2       $130,000.00
Miami, FL          United Way of
                    Miami-Dade                   S 2       $151,100.00
Tallahassee        United Way of
                    Florida                      I/state   $135,000.00
FL TOTAL                                                   $948,171.00

Athens, GA         United Way of
                    Northeast Georgia             I         $75,000.00
Dublin, GA         Heart of
                    Georgia United Way            I        $100,000.00
Gainesville, GA    United Way of
                    Hall County, Inc.             I         $90,000.00
Calhoun, GA        United Way of
                    Gordon County                 P         $10,000.00
Moultrie, GA       United Way of
                    Colquitt County               P         $10,000.00
Rome, GA           United Way of
                    Rome & Floyd County, Inc.     P          $9,880.00
Savannah, GA       United Way of
                    the Coastal Empire, Inc.      P         $29,000.00
Macon, GA          United Way of
                    Central Georgia, Inc.         S        $184,900.00
Atlanta, GA        United Way of
                    Metropolitan Atlanta          I/state  $130,000.00
GA TOTAL                                                   $638,780.00

Mason City, IA     United Way of
                    North Central Iowa            I         $80,000.00
Des Moines, IA     United Way of
                    Central Iowa                  S        $120,000.00
Sioux City, IA     United Way of
                    Siouxland                     S 2       $75,000.00
IA TOTAL                                                   $275,000.00

Pocatello, ID      United Way of
                    Southeastern Idaho            P         $10,000.00
Twin Falls, ID     United Way of
                    Magic Valley, Inc.            P         $10,000.00
Boise, ID          Treasure Valley United Way     S         $90,000.00
ID TOTAL                                                   $110,000.00

Chicago, IL        United Way/Crusade of
                    Mercy, Inc.                   I        $175,000.00
Bloomington, IL    United Way of
                    McLean County                 P         $10,000.00
Rockford, IL       United Way of
                    Rock River Valley             P         $10,000.00
IL TOTAL                                                   $195,000.00

Hutchinson, KS     United Way of
                    Reno County, Inc.             P         $10,000.00
Wichita, KS        United Way of
                    the Plains                    P         $30,000.00
Topeka, KS         United Way of
                    Greater Topeka                S 2      $116,190.00
KS TOTAL                                                   $156,190.00

Frederick, MD      United Way of
                    Frederick County, Inc.        I         $85,000.00
Baltimore, MD      United Way of
                    Central Maryland, Inc.        S        $275,000.00
MD TOTAL                                                   $360,000.00

Joplin, MO         United Way of
                    Southwest Missouri            I        $100,000.00
Kansas City, MO    Heart of
                    America United Way            S 2      $130,000.00
Saint Louis, MO    United Way of
                    Greater St. Louis, Inc.       S 2      $200,000.00
MO TOTAL                                                   $430,000.00

Asheboro, NC       United Way of
                    Randolph County, Inc.         I         $75,000.00
Elizabeth
 City, NC          Albemarle Area
                    United Way, Inc.              P         $10,000.00
Morganton, NC      Burke County
                    United Way                    P         $10,000.00
High Point, NC     United Way of
                    Greater High Point, Inc.      S        $100,000.00
Research Triangle
 Park, NC          Triangle Area
                    United Way                    S         $75,000.00
NC TOTAL                                                   $270,000.00

Albuquerque, NM    United Way of
                    Central New Mexico            I        $200,000.00
Las Cruces, NM     United Way of
                    Southwest New Mexico          S        $185,685.00
NM TOTAL                                                   $385,685.00

Enid, OK           United Way of
                    Enid & Northwest Oklahoma     I         $48,500.00
Lawton, OK         United Way of
                    Lawton-Ft. Sill               I         $60,000.00
Oklahoma City, OK  United Way of
                    Metro Oklahoma City           I         $62,838.00
Oklahoma City, OK  United Way of
                    Metro Oklahoma City           I         $50,000.00
Ponca City, OK     United Way of
                    Ponca City, Inc.              P         $10,000.00
Tulsa, OK          Tulsa Area
                    United Way                    S         $72,000.00
OK TOTAL                                                   $303,338.00

Portland, OR       United Way of the
                    Columbia-Willamette           S        $147,006.00
Springfield, OR    United Way of
                    Lane County                   S        $100,000.00
OR TOTAL                                                   $247,006.00

Columbia, SC       United Way of
                    South Carolina                I/state  $135,000.00
Greenwood, SC      United Way of
                    Greenwood County              I         $25,000.00
Spartanburg, SC    United Way of the
                    Piedmont, Inc.                I        $100,000.00
Sumter, SC         United Way of
                    Sumter, Clarendon and
                    Lee Counties                  I        $100,000.00
Clinton, SC        United Way of
                    Laurens County, Inc.          P         $10,000.00
North
 Charleston, SC     Trident United Way            P         $29,884.00
Aiken, SC           United Way of
                     Aiken County, Inc.           S         $60,000.00
Columbia, SC        United Way of
                     the Midlands                 S         $75,000.00
Greenville, SC      United Way of
                     Greenville County, Inc.      S         $63,500.00
SC TOTAL                                                   $598,384.00

Knoxville, TN       United Way of
                     Greater Knoxville            I        $100,000.00
Maryville, TN       United Way of
                     Blount County                I         $85,000.00
Greeneville, TN     United Way of
                     Greene County, Inc.          P         $10,000.00
Oak Ridge, TN       United Way of
                     Anderson County, Inc.        P         $10,000.00
Chattanooga, TN     United Way of
                     Greater Chattanooga          S        $130,000.00
Nashville, TN       United Way of
                     Metropolitan Nashville       S 2      $400,000.00
TN TOTAL                                                   $735,000.00

Angleton, TX        United Way of
                     Brazoria County             I          $75,000.00
Austin, TX          United Way of
                     Texas                       I/state   $110,000.00
Corpus Christi, TX  United Way of the
                     Coastal Bend                I         $160,000.00
Tyler, TX           United Way of
                     Tyler/Smith County          I          $70,000.00
Denton, TX          United Way of
                     Denton County, Inc.         P          $10,000.00
El Paso, TX         United Way of
                     El Paso County              P          $30,000.00
Granbury, TX        United Way of
                     Hood County                 P          $10,000.00
Houston, TX         United Way of the
                     Texas Gulf Coast            P          $30,000.00
Lubbock, TX         United Way of
                     Lubbock, Inc.               P          $30,000.00
Odessa, TX          United Way of
                     Odessa                      P          $10,000.00
San Antonio, TX     United Way of
                     San Antonio and
                     Bexar County                S         $192,000.00
TX TOTAL                                                   $727,000.00

Charlottesville, VA United Way-
                     Thomas Jefferson Area       I          $50,000.00
Lebanon, VA        United Way of
                    Southwest Virginia, Inc.     I         $100,000.00
Roanoke, VA        United Way of
                    Roanoke Valley, Inc.         I         $100,000.00
Lexington, VA      United Way of
                    Lexington-Rockbridge County  S         $41,750.00
Richmond, VA       United Way Services           S         $225,000.00
VA TOTAL                                                   $516,750.00

Kennewick, WA      United Way of
                    Benton & Franklin Counties   I          $65,000.00
Seattle, WA        United Way of
                    King County                  I         $100,000.00
Bremerton, WA      United Way of
                    Kitsap County                P           $9,011.00
Ellensburg, WA     United Way of
                    Kittitas County              P          $10,000.00
Longview, WA       United Way of
                    Cowlitz County, Inc.         P           $9,660.00
Oak Harbor, WA     United Way of
                    Island County                P           $8,146.00
Walla Walla, WA    United Way of
                    Walla Walla County           P          $10,000.00
Tacoma, WA         United Way of
                    Pierce County                S         $125,000.00
Yakima, WA         United Way of
                    Yakima County                S         $180,000.00
Spokane, WA        United Way of
                    Spokane County               S 2       $100,000.00
WA TOTAL                                                   $616,817.00

Sub-TOTAL -STATES                                        $9,407,242.00
United Way of America                                     $ 592,758.00
TOTAL - ALL STATES                                     $ 10,000,000.00

GRANT TYPE KEY:
P = Planning
I = Implementation
S = Sustaining
S2 = Sustaining 2 year award
State = Statewide Collaboration