Bank of America Corp.’s board of directors has authorized the payment of $713 million in dividends to the U.S. government under the Troubled Asset Relief Program. BofA received $45 billion in federal funds from the program; $20 billion of that amount came as part of the bank’s purchase of troubled brokerage Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. on Jan. 1.

The Charlotte, N.C.-based bank paid its first installment of $402 million in dividends to the federal government in February.

Historic Valley Junction will host its spring Gallery Night on April 17 from 5 to 9 p.m. Nine galleries will participate in the event, and will exhibit artwork from regional, national and international artists. Gallery Night is free and open to the public.

Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa’s five-day spring book sale raised a record $218,407.46. Proceeds from the book sale support the expansion of Planned Parenthood’s education and outreach efforts, which provide medically accurate, age-appropriate health and sexuality education programs to groups and individuals throughout the state. Planned Parenthood’s fall book sale will be Sept. 10-14 at the 4-H Building on the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

The Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute is taking nominations and applications for the 2009-2010 class of its Community Leadership Program, which runs from September through June and focuses on Greater Des Moines issues, government, community highlights and history. Each class represents corporate leaders, nonprofits, professionals, government officials, entrepreneurs and activists. Nominations come from institute graduates. The nomination deadline is April 30, and the final application deadline is June 5. For nomination and application information, visit www.gdmli.com/CLP_nominate.aspx.

The Iowa JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy will host a financial literacy forum titled “Mission Possible” on Monday, April 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Drake University’s Olmsted Center as part of Money Smart Week, which is a week of free financial literacy events developed to help Central Iowans better manage their finances. To register for the forum, contact Margaret VanGinkel of Iowa State University Extension at (515) 727-0656 or vangin@iastate.edu, or visit www.iajumpstart.org for more information.

St. Louis-based Stratus Building Solutions, a building service and maintenance company, will open a franchise in West Des Moines this month. Leonard Fazio, a real estate developer and Des Moines resident, will serve as president of Stratus Building Solutions of Iowa LLC, which will be located at 4948 Pleasant St. in West Des Moines. Stratus Building Solutions of Iowa marks Stratus Building Solutions’ expansion into 18 states since the company was founded in 2004. For more information, visit www.stratusclean.com.