In the nonprofit and education sectors, the numbers on a balance sheet tell a much larger story. A financing structure isn't just a repayment schedule; it’s the lifeline for the people, programs, and communities that depend on your organization.

Michele Palmo understands this inherently. As Senior Vice President, Nonprofit, Education, and CCRC Practice Leader at BankUnited, she delivers specialized, collaborative banking solutions designed specifically for mission-driven organizations. Whether she is working with a school, a social service agency, or a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), Michele aligns her financial strategies with each organization's unique funding models, proving that true nonprofit corporate banking is about funding the mission, not just the math.

Michele began her career in municipal finance, a field she describes as more transactional by nature. Over time, she found herself drawn to the nonprofit space where the conversations felt different. They were more relationship-based, more personal and often deeply impactful to the individuals and communities served.

Nonprofits still need strong financial discipline. They need to manage liquidity, debt, operating cycles, capital needs, repayment capacity and long-term planning. But they often do that within a different set of constraints, including donor restrictions, grant cycles, government reimbursements, board governance and narrow operating margins.

For Michele, that combination of mission and complexity became deeply compelling. It gave her a way to bring together her business background, banking expertise and personal sense of purpose.

Michele is quick to point out that there is no single “nonprofit banking conversation.”

A life plan community may come to the bank with a capital project, strong reserves, and a sophisticated leadership team focused on long-term growth. A social service agency, on the other hand, may need help managing cash flow gaps between providing services and receiving government reimbursements. Meanwhile, a school might be planning for enrollment shifts, facility upgrades, or future expansion.

Because each situation is unique, Michele’s first job is always to listen, not just to the financing request, but to the purpose behind it. What are they trying to create or protect? Who depends on it? What would the right banking structure make possible?

The better Michele understands the mission, the better she can shape a solution that supports both the financial reality and the people being served. Her attention and empathy are not separate from the financial work; they are the foundation of it.

Since joining BankUnited in 2018, Michele has helped deepen and expand the bank’s nonprofit practice. This work requires a nuanced understanding of how different mission-driven organizations operate. While some have strong reserves and long-term capital plans, others are managing thin margins, revenue volatility, or funding cycles that do not align with the timing of their expenses. Some are planning for growth, while others are focused purely on maintaining stability in a changing environment.

Michele sees the impact of that purpose up close. Recently, she attended an event where one of her clients received a community impact award. For Michele, the recognition captured exactly what makes this work so meaningful. These leaders are not simply managing organizations; they are shaping how people live, receive care and services, build community, and navigate major life milestones.

That perspective matters because nonprofit leaders are constantly balancing two distinct responsibilities at once: they must protect the financial health of the entity while simultaneously protecting the people, programs, and communities that depend on it.

In Michele’s view, the clearest distinction between the nonprofit sector and traditional corporate banking lies in how these organizations define their stakeholders.

“Nonprofits don’t have owners in the traditional sense,” Michele said. “Their stakeholders are their end users. They’re the people the organization exists to serve.”

That distinction changes the entire conversation. When a nonprofit seeks financing, it is rarely just about access to capital. It is about keeping essential services running, expanding their capacity to help, managing cash flow gaps, or creating long-term stability for the communities relying on them. For Michele, true partnership is built the moment a nonprofit leader realizes their banker fundamentally understands what is at stake.

Michele views BankUnited’s highly collaborative environment as the perfect engine for this specialized work. Rather than working in silos, she brings together experts from across the bank’s lending, private banking and treasury management teams to build comprehensive strategies. Because nonprofit banking is rarely one-dimensional, a thoughtful solution often requires a mix of working capital financing, tax-exempt bonds, and advanced treasury tools. 

By delivering these tailored lending and cash management solutions, Michele helps organizations deliver on their mission-focused objectives and streamline their daily operations. Her goal is never just to close a transaction; it is to build a rock-solid financial foundation. When the banking strategy works seamlessly, nonprofit leaders can get back to what matters most: supporting individuals and families, advancing education, , and strengthening their communities.

To learn more about Michele and BankUnited’s team of specialized practice leaders, explore BankUnited’s specialized finance solutions at BankUnited.com.