ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is the recipient of Bank of America’s Neighborhood Builders® award for their work advancing economic mobility in St. Louis. Being part of the Neighborhood Builders® program will provide multi-year grant funding and extensive leadership training for leadership for Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s organization. Bank of America’s funding will ensure that programs and services addressing development for future female leaders and will continue to expand.
The Neighborhood Builders® program is one of the largest philanthropic investments into nonprofit leadership development in the nation, providing comprehensive leadership training for an executive director and an emerging leader on topics ranging from increasing financial sustainability, human capital management and strategic storytelling, and the opportunity to join a national network of peer organizations. Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is also awarded a $200,000 grant over two years.
“Nonprofits are vital to solving social challenges, improving communities and promoting economic advancement,” said Marilyn Bush, president, Bank of America St. Louis. “Providing these nonprofits with flexible funding and leadership training not only positions them for sustainable, long-term success, but demonstrates our commitment to creating real change in the places where we live and work.”
Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is a nonprofit organization that builds the pipeline of future female leaders by promoting service and leadership, while offering a variety of service projects, summer camps, and educational events. This new grant funding will allow Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri to develop outreach and membership recruitment strategies that target St. Louis’ emerging black and brown communities, create curriculum that will specifically provide girls the opportunity to develop holistically, improve volunteer support and recognition, and more.
“Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri builds the pipeline of future female leaders in the home, in the workplace and in the community,” said Dr. Natissia Small, CEO, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri. “We want to thank Bank of America for contributing to the journey of these young women. This opportunity will help us expand our program to provide a wider margin of young women with new experiences and lessons critical to developing essential life skills as the future leaders of Missouri and the world. Most importantly it further demonstrates our intentional efforts to prepare and promote women leaders as valued members of the workforce.”
The invitation-only Neighborhood Builders® program is highly competitive. Nonprofits are selected by a committee comprised of community leaders and past Builders awardees. 33 nonprofits have been selected as Neighborhood Builders in St. Louis in the past 19 years, with the bank investing $6.6 million into these local nonprofits.
Since 2004, Bank of America has invested more than $300 million in nearly 100 communities across the U.S., partnered with more than 1,600 nonprofits, and helped more than 3,000 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills through the Neighborhood Builders and Champions program.
We’re Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscoutsem.org.