Girl Scouts of Greater New York Expands Leadership Institute Thanks to Bank of America’s Investment in Girls’ Futures
March 31, 2021
A grant for $250,000 will create new opportunities for girls to build business and entrepreneurship skills through GSGNY’s capstone leadership program.
New York, NY—Today, Girl Scouts of Greater New York (GSGNY) is proud to announce a new partnership with longtime supporter Bank of America. Bank of America’s generous $250,000 grant over 18-months will enable the expansion of business and entrepreneurship programming for girls participating in GSGNY’s Leadership Institute, and create a pipeline for women leaders in business.
GSGNY will launch the Leadership Institute Business & Entrepreneurship Track, Powered by Bank of America, for the 2022 program cohort. The reimagined Business & Entrepreneurship track will join three existing Leadership Institute tracks—Advocate & Activist, STEM for Social Good, and Environmental Changemakers—and increase the capacity of the Leadership Institute to 260 total participants each year.
In partnership with Bank of America, Girl Scouts of Greater New York will develop age-specific curricula to provide intensive leadership and career development support to girls participating in the program’s Business & Entrepreneurship Track, in addition to reinforcing Business & Entrepreneurship concepts throughout the other three tracks, providing more learning opportunities for all program participants.
“We are thrilled to be embarking on this newly expanded partnership with Bank of America in order to increase opportunities for girls to explore business and entrepreneurship and build related skills on their leadership development journey,” said Meridith Maskara, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater New York. “We are grateful for their support of the Leadership Institute and their steadfast belief in the importance of investing in New York City’s girls.”
In addition to the launch of the Leadership Institute Business & Entrepreneurship Track, Powered by Bank of America, other learning opportunities supported by the grant will include
- Business & Entrepreneurship Girl Scout Badge Curriculum led by Bank of America’s Small Business team, which will include a series of videos on key elements of starting and running a business;
- A summer job shadowing program for participants, providing a window into the diverse career pathways available at the company; and
- G.I.R.L.s Like Me series presented by Bank of America, with diverse female BofA employees representative of different ethnicities, ages, and professional backgrounds, providing exposure to role models, empowerment and career advice. The first G.I.R.L.s Like Me session will be held on March 31, 2021.
“At Bank of America we understand the importance of supporting institutions that empower young women,” said Anne Walker, New York City president for Bank of America. “Through our expanded relationship with the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, girls will learn entrepreneurial skills that will prepare them for the future, explore unconsidered career paths, and meet role models who will inspire them. The combination of business education and leadership development will pave the way for a new generation of diverse young women to realize future success and economic empowerment.”
The Leadership Institute is Girl Scouts of Greater New York’s capstone leadership program, designed to provide a unique and essential opportunity for girls to build skills, knowledge, and confidence as leaders. Since 2013, the program has been helping girls reshape their views on leadership and about their own potential—participants transform into powerful agents of change, equipped to advocate for themselves, change the world around them, and succeed in school and in future careers. The Leadership Institute is presented completely free-of-charge to participants, to ensure equal access for all New York City girls. Participating girls engage in a range of leadership development program components, such as subject-matter camps, academic transition workshops, peer-to-peer committees, college visits, workplace visits and career panels, capstone projects and presentations, internships and job shadowing opportunities.
As they proceed through the Leadership Institute program components, girls build confidence in their own potential and are inspired by the women they meet to pursue their highest aspirations. Participating girls develop 21st century leadership and professional competencies as well as subject-specific skills through specialization in program focus “tracks” of their choosing—Advocate and Activist, STEM for Social Good, Environmental Changemakers, and soon, Business and Entrepreneurship.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and public safety guidelines, the 2021 Leadership Institute program year was launched virtually to continue to serve New York City’s girls and provide a digital experience relevant to the changing world they live in.
