MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF) is pleased to announce the awarding of four grants to support selected financial education initiatives of Wisconsin non-profit organizations. WBF is the non-profit arm of the Wisconsin Bankers Association with a mission to promote financial literacy and capability through education, scholarships, grants, and research. The grants were presented at the WBF Gala on September 12, 2024, at the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison.
The following organizations were chosen to receive grants based on a variety of criteria, including their alignment with WBF’s mission and their program’s reach/impact on Wisconsin communities:
- 6:8, Inc – The Circles Sauk Prairie program was awarded $2,500. The program inspires and equips families and the community to resolve poverty and thrive by matching one highly motivated low-income person or family (called a circle leader), with two middle- to upper-middle class community volunteers (called allies) who commit to friendship, companionship, and support on the journey out of poverty. Circles is an 18-month program that includes financial literacy training, regular meetings, and dialog with with community leaders on systemic barriers and upward socioeconomic movement.
- Asset Builders – The statewide high school Finance and Investment Challenge Bowl competition was awarded $5,000. WBF also partners to help recruit volunteers from the banking industry to serve as quizmasters, judges, and scorekeepers at the regional and state tournaments. This marks the fourth year of WBF’s support for the Challenge Bowl.
- Eastbrook Academy – The Empowering Educators for Financial Education Excellence project at Eastbrook Academy in Milwaukee was awarded $2,500. The grant will support professional development and resources for educators who lead the school’s Learn & Earn program. The Learn & Earn program equips students with skills in budgeting, saving, investing, and managing credit while providing hands-on skills through running an on-campus café/store.
- Economics Wisconsin – The statewide middle and high school Stock Market Game was awarded $5,000. Over a ten-week Stock Market Game competition period, students work in teams of one to five players, managing a pretend $100,000 investment account and making stock trades based on their own research. Along the way, they learn key economic concepts such as supply and demand, scarcity, and opportunity cost. This is the second year WBF has supported the Stock Market Game.
The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation awards grants to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations on an annual basis, with the next application cycle occurring in the spring of 2025. To learn more about WBF, please visit wisbankfoundation.org.
