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Promoting Affordable HomesHousing Foundation of AmericaOne of the best ways to drivelocal community developmentis to help more people own ahome. That’s why we’ve made acommitment to supporting affordablehousing initiatives and gettinginvolved with local organizationslike Habitat for Humanity.We partnered with the HousingFoundation of America and oneof their H2H Homeowners Clubs,which helps first-time homebuyers inFlorida prepare for homeownershipby attending monthly educationalmeetings. One example of ourcommitment was helping a singlemother with a teenage son, who hadbeen in the club for several years,buy a home. This story inspired usbecause she and her son had givenup celebrating holidays to savemoney for their dream of owning ahome, and we were thrilled to helpturn their dream into a reality.Affordable Housing InitiativesIn 2017, the Federal Home Loan Bankof New York (FHLBNY) awarded Valley 3.5 Million in Affordable HousingProgram (AHP) subsidies to fund fourprojects in New Jersey that will resultin 268 affordable rental units. TheAHP provides member-lenders withdirect subsidies, which are passedon to income-qualified householdsthrough sponsoring local communitybased organizations. AHP financing iscombined with other funding sourcesto create housing for moderate, lowand very low-income families. Programawardees receive this funding througha competitive application process.Each competing project must besponsored by a financial organizationthat is a member of the FHLBNYin partnership with a communitybased sponsoring organization.Our support allowed Good Old LowerEast Side (GOLES) to provide disasterreadiness “go-kits” for 50 – 60 lowincome neighborhood residents. The“go-kits” help provide residents witha toolkit in the unfortunate case ofdisaster. GOLES is a neighborhoodhousing and community organization,serving over 3,000 people andreaching over 10,000 people annuallyin the Lower East Side of Manhattansince 1977. The organization’sprimary mission is dedicated tohomelessness prevention, economicdevelopment, tenants’ rights,and community revitalization.9 Valley National BankGood Old Lower East Side(GOLES)NYU Furman Center for RealEstate & Urban PolicyIn 2017, we actively supported theNYU Furman Center for Real Estateand Urban Policy by sponsoring their2016 State of New York City’s Housingand Neighborhood report and By theNumbers Event. The center advancesresearch and debate on the housingsectors, neighborhoods and urbanpolicy in the United States. Theircentral mission is the promotion ofresearch on legal and public policyissues regarding land use, real estate,housing and various urban affairs. Thereport, as presented at the By TheNumbers event, provides a collectionof data and analysis about New YorkCity’s housing, land use, demographicsand quality of life indicators. Thereport is widely used as the primarysource of information for discussionsaround the city’s housing policy,and also serves as a tool to helpcommunity development organizationseffectively target resources.2017 Corporate Responsibility Report

Promoting Affordable Homes (continued)We’re proud of our ongoing commitment toHabitat for Humanity, whose affiliates worklocally in many of the communities we serve.This year, our associates volunteered to helpbuild homes in Paterson, New Jersey, as partof Paterson Habitat for Humanity’s CorporateChallenge. Corporate Challenge is a threeweek event where corporations from acrossthe area send volunteers to Paterson Habitat’sconstruction sites to help build homes forqualified families. Volunteers spent a Saturdaymorning grouting, spackling, framing,flooring, painting and organizing supplies intwo homes in Paterson’s 1st Ward. Valley’sconsistent partnership with the PatersonHabitat for Humanity spans 23 years. Duringthat time, Valley volunteers have helpedbuild over 60 homes for Paterson residents.We partnered with the West Palm Beach HousingAuthority providing resources that assisted withthe construction of twelve affordable homes.This initiative not only helped twelve low-to moderate income families in need by providingthem with safe, affordable housing, it also helpedenhance Valley’s outreach in the Florida market. Valley National BankPalm Beach County Housing Authority10 Valley’s consistent partnershipwith the Paterson Habitat forHumanity spans 23 years.Habitat for Humanity2017 Corporate Responsibility Report

Driving Economic GrowthBridging the Hunger GapWhen our neighborhoods have theresources to succeed, our communitiesthrive. That’s why we’re committedto helping drive economic growthin our communities by offering theresources and tools that communitiesand small businesses need.In our effort to help aid in the foodgap some children face while notin school, we partnered with thePalm Beach Children’s Hospital tocollect boxes of cereal during theirCereal Drive. Our efforts helpedthe hospital collect over 44,000servings of cereal which were thendistributed to the Boys & Girls Clublocations in Riviera and Belle Glade.Brooklyn NeighborhoodServicesDuring storm and hurricane season,we teamed up with BrooklynNeighborhood Services, ImpacctBrooklyn and FloodHelpNY to helpNew Yorkers prepare their families andhomes and develop resiliency. In thewake of Hurricane Sandy, we providedvital Community Flood and StormResiliency presentations to Brooklynresidents at Valley’s 86th StreetBranch. Attendees had the opportunityto meet with our volunteers, as wellas representatives from the NYCEmergency Management Office andtheir local CERT teams. Additionally,each participant received free copiesof FEMA’s new flood zone mapsand direction on how to receivefree elevation certificates which mayreduce their flood insurance premiums.Small businesses are the engines thatdrive our economy. Our wide rangeof deposit, financing and treasurysolutions are designed to enhance orexpand businesses and support localeconomic growth and development.That’s why we’re committed tolending to businesses throughoutour markets, including to businesseslocated in low-to-moderate-incomegeographies and to businesses withannual gross revenues of 1 millionand under. Drawing on more thannine decades of experience, wepartner with small businesses to helpthem manage their cash flow needs,purchase necessary equipment,finance commercial properties andprovide loans to expand businesses.11 Valley National BankSmall Business Product andSolutions2017 Corporate Responsibility Report

Driving Economic Growth (continued)Community Lending Sales TeamIn early 2016, Valley launched a lending teamdedicated to supporting the needs of smallbusinesses and nonprofit organizations. Thecommunity lending sales team, spanning NewJersey, New York and Florida, partners withsmall businesses and community organizationsto offer the following financial solutions:Small Business EZLoan: A loan from 5,000to 100,000 provided to small businesses tofinance the acquisition of business assets.The loan can finance the purchase of assetssuch as vehicles, property, improvements,business expansions, equipment and more.Small Business EZLine: A line of credit for smallbusinesses ranging from 5,000 to 100,000for short-term working capital or overdraftprotection. The EZLine provides easy accessto a line of credit for business expendituresand working capital for short-term needs. Valley National BankValley drives economic growth, including in oururban centers, through longstanding partnershipswith nonprofits working in cities and neighborhoodsto improve community outcomes. A workingcapital line of credit to a leading communitydevelopment corporation in Passaic County,New Jersey provided our partner there with themeans to respond to on the ground opportunitiesin their target neighborhoods. Valley directedadditional investments to this nonprofit throughthe Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC)program, one of the most successful public/privateprograms furthering community developmentand neighborhood change in New Jersey. Thisnonprofit partner promotes innovation, a higherquality of life and economic development intheir work to transform lives by working witharea youth. A recent NRTC funded Educationand Training Center provides job training, andmicroenterprise development services to youthand young adults. This nonprofit takes a holisticapproach to neighborhood change, from practicalskills developed through after school programsto the development of supportive housing, tofulfil our common goal of shared prosperity.Small Business Vehicle: A tailored programfor small business vehicle loans with ease ofapplication at the dealership and quicker fundingdue to a streamlined approval process.12 The community lending sales team,spanning New Jersey, New York andFlorida, partners with small businessesand community organizationsto offer financial solutions.Valley’s Small Business Credit Card: Createdin 2017, this credit card is designed to meet thecredit needs of small businesses. The Valley smallbusiness credit card provides the worldwideacceptance and purchasing power of Visa andother essential features for small business owners.Driving Growth Through Innovationand Partnership2017 Corporate Responsibility Report

Facilitating Financial Health and EducationMany people live paycheck topaycheck, which makes it more difficultto effectively manage money. This canlead to families accumulating debt andhaving less money to spend in the localeconomy. We’ve made a commitmentto provide financial educationresources to help people learn howto take control of their money.The innovative hands-on curriculumemphasizes real world learningand motivates youth to achieve byconnecting them with corporate andcommunity role models, committed toinvesting in their future. Most studentswho participate in JA programs liveand attend schools in economicallychallenged urban communities: 85%live in households with total incomesless than 50% of the area medianincome; 15% live in householdswith total incomes between 50 80% of the area median income.Financial LiteracyPartnering with Junior Achievement(JA), we support and facilitate theirfinancial literacy curriculum forstudents at no cost to the schoolsand their families in New Jersey, NewYork and Florida. JA inspires andprepares young people in gradesK-12 to succeed in a global economythrough real world relationshipswith business, government andeducation partners that can helpthem develop the financial literacyand employability skills neededto succeed in the 21st century.Schools in these communities typicallylack the resources needed to provideeducation enhancements like financialliteracy and career readiness educationto their students. The JA-ValleyNational Bank partnership helps to fillthe gap by providing qualified no-costfacilitators to deliver the JA curriculum.New Jersey Citizen Action’s“A Home of Her Own:Women’s Housing InitiativeHomebuyer Seminar”Over 450 people attended this event,connecting with Valley associatesand other leading banks to shareinformation on affordable mortgageproducts. New Jersey Citizen Action(NJCA) team experts presentedprograms available to communitymembers including Financial Coachingand Loan Counseling. Additionalinformation on Fair Housing andPredatory Lending were providedand each attendee received acopy of NJCA’s HUD certified LoanCounseling Service Client Handbook.Valley National Bank also sponsoredthe “A Home of Her Own” videopresentation, which identified thebenefits of home ownership andoffered a “how to” on workingwith NJCA and its partner banksto access these opportunities. Valley National Bank13 The innovative hands-on curriculum emphasizes realworld learning and motivates youth to achieve byconnecting them with corporate and community rolemodels, committed to investing in their future.2017 Corporate Responsibility Report

Facilitating Financial Health and Education (continued)Working in Support of Education (W!SE)Since 2014, we have provided funding andvolunteers for the W!SE Institute’s Financial LiteracyCertification Program. The W!SE Institute preparesunderserved NYC high school students for college,jobs and careers through weekly seminars taughtby industry professionals in economics and finance,arts, humanities and communications and STEM.These role models from the community, includingValley volunteers, bring expertise, passion andprofessionalism to the classroom. They exposestudents to the world of careers and build skills thatare vital to college success and an effective transitionfrom school to work. Volunteers from Valley providedsupport for this initiative by teaching four modulesof personal finance content to classes of freshman,sophomores and juniors at the High School ofEconomics and Finance and further assisted withvetting the W!SE Financial Literacy Certification Testthat is offered to 1,000 high schools across 48 states. Valley National Bank14 The W!SE Institute prepares underservedNYC high school students for college,jobs and careers through weekly seminarstaught by industry professionals ineconomics and finance, arts, humanities,communications and STEM.2017 Corporate Responsibility Report

Building Workforce PartnershipsA thriving community is built onpeople who have the passion andskills to succeed. One of the ways wehelp communities thrive is by givingpeople access to opportunities to learnnew skills and grow in their careers.Whether it’s through scholarships orpartnerships with local education andvocational organizations, supportingthe people in our communities ingaining the right skills will help usbuild a more impactful workforce.Partnership with Vaughn Collegeof Aeronautics and TechnologyWe are proud to be a longtime partnerof Vaughn College of Aeronauticsand Technology in Queens, NewYork. Vaughn College is listed as thetop institution in upward mobility formoving students from the bottom40% to the top 40% in income.Vaughn’s student body is largelyminority, New York City residentsand greater than 50% are Pell grantrecipients, meaning at the time ofenrollment the students were makingless than 80% of the area’s medianincome. They’ve been a leader ingiving students the tools to succeed.Vaughn College is listed as the top institutionfor moving students from the bottom 40percent to the top 40 percent in income. Valley National Bank15 Our partnership assists Vaughn’sefforts to provide opportunities forlocal growth to share in the economicbenefits of LaGuardia Airport’s ongoingredevelopment program, as well as thestrong demand for those in STEM fields.This unique institution provides its morethan 1,500 students with an affordablecollege education and the ability toachieve a full-time career in aviationincluding airport managers, pilots,technicians and robotics engineers whoare developing automated vehiclesand many other 21st century fields.With the strategic revitalization andeconomic investment at LaGuardia,we feel it is crucial to continue tosupport companies that invest in talentfrom the surrounding communities.Union County EconomicDevelopment Corporation(UCEDC)Our partnership with UCEDChelped hundreds of hard-workingentrepreneurs take their businesses tothe next level. UCEDC is committedto providing access to capital tounder-served communities and smallbusinesses. In 2017, we fundedUCEDC’s Learn More, Do MoreChildcare Workforce DevelopmentProgram for family childcareproviders. The program included afinancial management componentled by Valley’s Retail Bank leaders,and at the end of the classes theparticipants were each given a 500credit builders loan from UCEDC,the payments of which were fundedby Valley National Bank. We alsosponsored UCEDC’s new ProcurementTechnical Assistance Center (PTAC),which offered over 15 classesfocused on helping small businessesnavigate government contracting.2017 Corporate Responsibility Report

Building Workforce Partnerships (continued)College ScholarshipsParagon Florida Inc.We have partnered with ReConnectBrooklyn, an organization focusedon the entrepreneurship of youngadults in the Bedford-Stuyvesantneighborhood of Brooklyn, NewYork. ReConnect Brooklyn strives totransform young partners into theneighborhood’s next generation ofentrepreneurs by providing themjobs at the organization’s café, bakeryand various graphics businesses.Our partnership has aided in thecreation of a working and merchantclass among the community’syouth, ultimately allowing them tolearn about and grow their careeraspirations. We underwrote thesalaries of two first-time employees,giving them full-time jobs, restoringpurpose in their lives and giving thema source of reliable income. Thispartnership gives underprivilegedyouth the skills they need to breakinto the workforce and becomecontributing members to theircommunity’s economic development.In 2017, Valley funded collegescholarships to nine Florida collegesto help deserving students of lower to-moderate income communitiesachieve their educational dreams.Our scholarship program is targetedto first generation college attendees.In providing the financial means fora higher education, we are givingthese young students a chanceto achieve their career goals.Valley proudly sponsors and fundsParagon Florida, a communitydevelopment financial institutionoffering small business loans tocompanies that are unable to obtainfunding through traditional lenders.Paragon Florida also providestraining and technical assistanceto local businesses to help furthertheir chances of success. This year,we sponsored certificate-trainingin Palm Beach County’s for-profitentities and small businesses,where we provided one-on-onecounseling in management, businessreadiness and accounting.We also awarded five students in NewJersey the Samuel F. Riskin MemorialAward, which provides studentsscholarships to be used at the highereducation institutions of their choice.In 2017, we awarded an additionaltwo students pursuing a major inBusiness Administration the JohnL. Soldoveri Scholarship awards.16 Valley National BankReConnect Brooklyn2017 Corporate Responsibility Report

Building Workforce Partnerships (continued)Support for Breast Cancer ResearchSeptember 11th National Day of ServiceWe hosted our ninth annual “Valley Goes Pink!”support for breast cancer research walk onSaturday, October 14th in Wayne, New Jersey.Valley Goes Pink! is an inspirational and impactfulopportunity to raise money and awareness tosupport the Cure Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF)and their mission to find a cure. Over 1,000 Valleyassociates, family members, friends and neighborsgathered at 1460 Valley Road in Wayne for thisyear’s event, which featured prize drawings,a 50/50 raffle, free food and beverages. Eachyear Valley has raised approximately 100,000,totaling almost 900,000 to support the CBCF.In remembrance of the events that occurred onSeptember 11th, our associates, alongside agroup of Paterson citizens, joined the New JerseyCommunity Development Corporation’s (NJCDC)AmeriCorps Program for the September 11thNational Day of Service event in Paterson, NewJersey. We joined the Paterson Community SchoolCorps as they mobilized students and communityvolunteers to come together at School 5’s ElysianField Community Garden. Volunteers spent theday painting planter boxes and picnic tables andrefurbishing the garden by pulling out weeds,planting and laying new sod. The project wasintended to create a student-friendly space forthe school community as well as endorse positivecommunity engagement and school pride.Financial Fitness Valley National Bank17 We developed a Financial Fitness ‘Lunch andLearn’ program for our associates in partnershipwith New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA). Theexpert-led presentation provided colleagueswith the opportunity to learn more

AHP provides member-lenders with direct subsidies, which are passed on to income-qualiied households through sponsoring local community-based organizations. AHP inancing is combined with other funding sources to create housing for moderate, low and very low-income families. Program awardees receive this funding through