Building brighter futures: How BMO supports youth financial literacy and skills development across the U.S.

BMO’s recent donations to youth-focused organizations in the U.S. are helping support skills development and financial literacy programs, creating better futures for thousands of young adults across our U.S. footprint. As our reach extends across the country, Team BMO can drive positive change and grow the good in more places.   

Keep reading to learn how our partnerships with Thrive Scholars, Junior Achievement and Boys and Girls Club of America are making a big impact in the lives of youth.   

Junior Achievement  

BMO’s longtime partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) – a nonprofit organization that prepares young people for success through hands-on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work-readiness programs – continues to help provide educational opportunities that prepare students to navigate the complexities of the modern economic landscape.  

BMO employees volunteer with JA to deliver curriculum and mentorship, helping students understand the importance of financial management. In the 2023-24 school year, BMO donated over $520,000 to support more than 20 JA chapters across Canada and the U.S. This funding allows for outreach to thousands of young people in underserved communities. In recognition of BMO’s employee’s commitment to volunteerism, JA awarded BMO with a Silver U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award for the 2022-23 school year.   

Thrive Scholars  

After a $3 million donation from BMO in 2023, Thrive Scholars, a national nonprofit supporting high-achieving, first-generation students, has expanded its Thrive Academies program to Los Angeles. BMO Thrive Academy – Los Angeles gives students the opportunity to spend two summers participating in an academically intensive program, attending college-level courses taught by professors on a college campus.   

During summer 2024, more than 170 BMO Thrive Academy Los Angeles students were provided with stipends, laptops and valuable time on the University of Southern California’s campus to prepare to excel academically in top colleges. A few of these students were recently interviewed on CBS News about their experience in the program. Check out the video on the CBS website.   

Boys and Girls Clubs of America   

BMO is proud to support 23 Boys and Girls Clubs chapters across our U.S. footprint – including in Chicago, where BMO’s donation of $225,000 payable over three years supports the organization across 20 club locations serving 8,000 youth. Our support also extends to Milwaukee, with a $600,000 donation over three years to support the core programs of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee. This donation will impact over 16,000 youths, providing employment opportunities annually for over 300 young people through workforce development programs in various fields.