DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 17, 2004--Denver area community groups were recently awarded more than $300,000 in grants by the U.S. Bancorp Foundation. Mark Smith, president of U.S. Bank in Denver, announced the affordable housing, artistic and cultural enrichment, education, economic opportunity and K-12 education grants.

"These organizations make Denver a better community by providing vital services to those in need," said Smith. "The people at U.S. Bank are glad to support them, especially at this time of year."

    Affordable housing grants were awarded to:

    --  Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Denver, Inc. -
        to support its housing counseling and community banking
        education programs;

    --  Rebuilding Together of Metro Denver - to help fund their
        programs to repair and rehabilitate the homes of low-income
        homeowners, especially the elderly and disabled;

    --  Rocky Mountain HDC, Inc. - to assist with its affordable
        housing programs and

    --  Thistle Community Housing - to support its affordable housing
        clearinghouse web site.

    Arts and culture grants were awarded to:

    --  Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities - to provide funding
        for two free collaborative visual arts exhibitions in
        conjunction with the Jefferson County Schools;

    --  Colorado Ballet - to help enhance its educational programs
        targeting children in low income neighborhoods;

    --  Colorado Historical Society - to assist with its new exhibit,
        "American Indian Peoples, Colorado's Distant Past";

    --  Colorado Symphony Association - to support the Martin Luther
        King Celebration Concert in January 2005;

    --  Denver Art Museum - to help fund the continuing expansion of
        the museum;

    --  Denver Center for the Performing Arts - to help enhance its
        arts in education and Kindred Spirits programs;

    --  El Centro Su Teatro - to support its programs that develop and
        promote Chicano and Latino art and culture;

    --  Foothills Art Center - for its Rooted in Tradition project,
        offering contemporary art quilts exhibitions;

    --  Museum of Contemporary Art - to assist in funding its outreach
        contemporary lab that provides tools for art education in the
        schools and access to innovative exhibits and

    --  Rocky Mountain PBS - to help support its program acquisition.

    Economic opportunity grants were awarded to:

    --  Denver Enterprise Center - to provide support for its business
        and kitchen incubators;

    --  Five Points Business Association - to assist with its small
        business support office that helps stimulate economic
        development in Five Points;

    --  Metro Volunteers - to help fund its education programs and
        nonprofit seminars and

    --  University of Colorado at Denver, Business School - for the
        U.S. Bank Term Professorship program, which fosters excellence
        in economic development.

    K-12 education grants were awarded to:

    --  Aurora Education Foundation - for its pilot science program at
        the elementary level;

    --  Children's Museum of Denver - to support its special admission
        program for low-income children and their families;

    --  Girl Scouts - Mile Hi Council - for its Girls in Crisis
        program that helps provide healthy alternative choices to
        gangs for girls in low-income neighborhoods;

    --  Hope Center - to support its early childhood education
        programs and vocational training for individuals with special
        needs;

    --  Mile High Youth Corps - to assist with its youth programs;

    --  National Jewish Medical & Research Center - for its school
        programs at the Kunsberg School at National Jewish Center.

    U.S. Bank also awarded grant to the following organizations:

    --  Colorado Scholarship Coalition - to provide scholarship
        funding for Denver metro area students with financial need and
        are attending Denver area colleges;

    --  Mile High United Way - to support its annual campaign that
        supports human service needs throughout metro Denver.

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB), with assets of $193 billion, is the 6th largest financial services holding company in the United States. The company operates 2,346 banking offices and 4,621 ATMs, and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. U.S. Bancorp is home of the Five Star Service Guarantee which assures customers of certain key banking benefits and services or customers will be paid for their inconvenience. U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of U.S. Bank. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at usbank.com.

    CONTACT: U.S. Bank Media Relations
             Amy Frantti, 612-303-0733

    SOURCE: U.S. Bancorp