NBCUniversal and Mastercard Join Forces to Advance Nonprofit Storytelling Alongside Free Spirit Media, for Community Reinvestment Fund, USA

NBCUniversal’s Creative Impact Lab and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth (the Center) today announced a unique partnership around social impact storytelling. As the Creative Impact Lab’s first corporate partner to join this initiative, the collaboration helps raise awareness for the critical work of nonprofits, while empowering the next generation of creatives. Launched in 2022, the Creative Impact Lab leverages NBCUniversal’s storytelling expertise, commissioning nonprofit creative agencies and their storytellers to develop marketing assets that highlight the missions and positive impact of other nonprofit organizations. The final assets run on the platforms of Comcast and NBCUniversal, helping the nonprofit organizations gain exposure and scale their reach.

With support from the Center, Creative Impact Lab partner Free Spirit Media (FSM), a Chicago-based nonprofit creative agency that provides opportunities for young storytellers to build media skills, was commissioned to produce a suite of marketing assets for Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF), a national small business lender. The assets highlight CRF’s mission to improve lives and strengthen communities through innovative financial solutions in partnership with Allies for Community Business (A4CB), focusing on Cadinho Bakery & Cafe, a family-owned pastry shop in Chicago that received startup funding from CRF, as well as Studio Yogi, a local South Shore yoga facility that received funding from CRF to develop the studio. CRF has been a long-standing partner of the Center.

“We are so pleased that the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth is helping to scale our efforts in nonprofit storytelling,” said Hilary Smith, Executive Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at NBCUniversal. “Corporate social responsibility is most powerful when companies work together, and this partnership is a prime example of how we can drive greater impact through collaboration across industries.”

“We know that small business owners are the engines of our economies, but what many don’t know is that they are supported by a vast funding and support ecosystem that nonprofit lenders like CRF provide,” said Shamina Singh, Founder & President, Center for Inclusive Growth, and Executive Vice President of Sustainability at Mastercard. “We chose to work with NBCUniversal’s Creative Impact Lab to bring visibility to organizations like CRF while elevating the power of storytelling for social sector organizations. I hope more organizations take advantage of this creative approach and partnership opportunity.”

The FSM storytellers received creative guidance from seasoned NBCUniversal employee volunteers, including an NBC News producer and an NBCU Local marketing executive, who served as mentors throughout the production process. The young filmmakers gained hands-on experience in documentary storytelling while producing meaningful marketing materials for CRF. The CRF public service announcement created in the Creative Impact Lab will run across the networks and platforms of Comcast and NBCUniversal in donated promotional time.

“At CRF, we understand the power of narratives to drive meaningful change, and we are thrilled to have been part of this collaboration with NBCUniversal’s Creative Impact Lab, Mastercard, and Free Spirit Media,” said Matthew Roth, President and CEO at CRF. “The talented storytellers brought incredible creativity and dedication to this project, and we’re honored to support them as they develop valuable skills that will serve them throughout their careers. Their work not only amplifies the impact of mission-driven organizations like CRF but also helps build a pipeline of future professionals ready to make a difference in their communities.”

"The partnership with NBCUniversal, Mastercard, and CRF has served as a critical launchpad, propelling Free Spirit Media and our talented young filmmakers to new heights,” said Aurora Toshiko King, Executive Director of Free Spirit Media. “We thank our partners for their commitment to powering young storytellers and enabling us to achieve our mission."

To date, the Creative Impact Lab has donated more than $25 million in media inventory across Comcast and NBCUniversal platforms, engaged over 75 NBCUniversal volunteer mentors to more than 138 apprentices, and supported 40 nonprofit clients in amplifying their missions. The Creative Impact Lab will continue to expand to outside corporations and foundations looking to help their grantees with storytelling.