December 2, 2021
Bank of America Names Crosby Scholars as Neighborhood Champion in Recognition of their Work to Advance Economic Mobility in the Triad
Program Provides $50,000 in Grant Support and an Opportunity for Virtual Leadership Training
Winston-Salem, NC – Programs that help address the local issues around education, economic opportunity and workforce development will be able to scale, helping even more people through a multi-year grant from Bank of America. Crosby Scholars has been named as the 2021 Bank of America Neighborhood Champion for its work in the Triad community addressing these issues.
As part of the program, Crosby Scholars will receive $50,000 in grant support and the opportunity to participate in virtual leadership training delivered by experts in the nonprofit sector on topics like human capital management, increasing financial sustainability and storytelling.
The Crosby Scholars Community Partnership prepares students in public middle and high schools in Forsyth County academically, personally, and financially for college admission and other post-secondary opportunities best suited to each student’s goals, abilities, and needs. Crosby Scholars has community partnerships with Forsyth Promise, the United Way of Forsyth County, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, and The Winston-Salem Foundation to deliver on their mission. In 2012, an alliance was formed with Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina establishing Crosby Scholars as an independent affiliate of Goodwill.
With a 29-year history of providing all aspects of career and college exploration, including but not limited to hosting career education sessions, admissions and financial aid workshops, college campus visits, community service opportunities and cultural experiences, as well as providing over $980,000 in scholarships and Last Dollar Grants for college tuition annually. Crosby Scholars now serves more than 11,000 students each year and has assisted 34,480 Forsyth County students to prepare for college and for life. This multi-year grant from Bank of America will enable Crosby Scholars to help even more students and families receive access to much-needed support and services.
Community leader Paul Fulton shared, “Nothing could please me more than having Bank of America step up for Crosby Scholars, as they have for so many other organizations in the Triad community.”
“Providing equitable access to academic tools, resources and support is transformative to future success,” said President of Bank of America Triad Greg Cox.” In supporting the mission of Crosby Scholars, not only will it reimagine the possibilities for the students but improve the health of our local economy and community.”
“Crosby Scholars is committed to equity in education. We see ourselves as part of the fabric of the community, and we do not want to leave anyone behind. We have made strong progress with students who enroll in the Crosby Scholars program, but there are still too many students who do not see college in their future,” said President and CEO of Crosby Scholars Mona Lovett. “Our team has the passion for this work, and that is not something that can be taught. Bolstering our team's management skills will benefit our students. By providing them the skills to become stronger managers, we will be able to meet the needs of more students at risk of being left behind. We cannot reach our community's goals unless we move everyone forward.”
Alongside the Triad, the bank will bring the program to over 42 additional communities across the U.S. this fall as part of its commitment to investing in the long-term health of communities. The Neighborhood Champions program is invitation-only for nonprofits who are poised to take their work to the next level. Leading members of the community participated in a collaborative selection process to identify this year’s awardee.
The Neighborhood Champions program is an extension of the bank’s signature philanthropic initiative, Neighborhood Builders®, the largest corporate philanthropic investment in nonprofit leadership in the country after 17 years and more than $285M investment across 92 communities in the U.S. Since the Neighborhood Champion’s program inception in 2019, Bank of America has invested $6.3 million in 126 organizations within 42 communities through the Neighborhood Champions program.
Bank of America
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